A Hero and His Princess
by Espionage247
Summary: A smart-mouthed hero and a tomboy princess. The best of friends, the closest of comrades, and the most sarcastic couple you'll ever meet on Mobius. Sonsal/Sonally. 100 Theme Challenge.
1. Introduction

**1. Introduction**

When I sit back and think about it—think about it real hard—I can't remember the first time I met Sal. The first meeting, the introduction, whatever you call it, I can't remember it. Maybe I was too young, or maybe I'm too forgetful, but every time I try to bring it up, I draw a blank. A blank blanker than any blank you'll ever think of. Blank.

It's silly, really. I once brought it up to her when we were hanging out, and she looked at me as if I was crazy. Then, being who she is, she tried to remember it. She started recounting the old days—the really old days—and she went back as far as she could remember. Back when we just started living Knothole, back when we were still in Mobotropolis, back when we were so young, we could barely finish our sentences without tripping over our words. We laughed as we took turns telling stories, but after awhile, we came to a conclusion; we couldn't remember our first meeting.

For as long as I could remember, Sal had always been there. I couldn't remember a time when she hadn't been, and to be honest, I didn't _want _to think about it. A life without Sal was like… like a life without chili dogs. Boring, flavorless, and empty. It was something that I promised would never happen. Why? Cause Sal meant a lot to me, and she always had. Even when I couldn't remember it.

* * *

I'm starting up another thing! Wow. For a writer, I sure do use sophisticated words... :D

So here goes my first attempt at a 100 theme challenge. They'll mostly be short (hopefully), but they'll all be tons of fun! ^^ Some will be from the SatAM universe, others will be Archieverse, and some will be from my own Sonic universe. And some will be just be plain old AU. :) It will be a fun experience! ^^

I'll still be updating all my other stories too, so no need to fear! :D Heck, I'm working on the next chapter of Glass Rose right now! ^^

Anyways, I hope you guys liked it! :) There will be plenty more soon! ^^


	2. Love

**2. Love **

The world was ending, and no, no one was exaggerating. But everyone wished that they were. Everyone wished that it simply wasn't true. If anything, they wished—they hoped and prayed—that it was a dream, a nightmare, a night terror, anything but this.

Sally was no exception to that. As she gazed around at the sights surrounding her—the panic and utter mayhem—she found her breath becoming shallow. How could this happen? How could something so horrible strike Mobius? The moment the thought ran through her mind, Sally felt like slapping herself in the forehead. It wasn't like the world had been in perfect condition before the—this. This mayhem. This complete and utter chaos.

But there was still at least some hope left, wasn't there? There had always been hope for Mobius, and it had been personified in the form of a speedy blue teenager… a teen who, in order to save the world, had to risk his own life again and again and again. Why did it always have to be him? Even though he was standing right in front of her, it felt as if he was worlds away.

"It will be okay Sal, I promise." He was lying, she knew it for a fact, and it killed her. It tore her apart. She didn't want to lose him. Not him.

"You don't have to do this." She finally told him after a long period of silence, doing her best to swallow back the lump in her throat.

He was quiet for only a moment, if even that. "Sal, you know that that'snot true. I have to do this."

"Have to?" She hated that word. She hated it more than every evil in the world. "Sonic, you…" But she didn't know what else to say to him. His mind had already been made up, and it had been since day one.

So not knowing what else to do, Sally let her head hang, doing the best she could to contain the tears. Why did he _have _to? Why did HE always have to? Wasn't there anyone else who wanted to be the hero? Was there anyone else that could be the hero? Why was it always him? It just wasn't fair… it never had been, and it never was going to be.

Silence reigned for what felt like an eternity. "Sal, everything will be okay." When his arms wrapped around her, she found that tears had begun to plague her vision. "I promise."

But she knew that he was lying again. She knew that it wasn't going to be okay. Nothing would ever be the same. He'd… he'd be… finally, Sally swallowed and whispered in the strongest voice she could muster, "I love you Sonic the Hedgehog."

He replied with a whisper much like hers, "And I love you Sally Acorn. Always have, always will."

Then the two pulled away from each other. No parting kiss would be shared, for they knew the memory would become bitter and rusted. So instead, Sonic nodded once to her and told—ordered—her, "Run."

It was all he had to say.

She turned and ran as fast as she could, tears freely traveling down her face by that point. He watched her for awhile, then once she was a safe distance away, did the same. He rushed around the machine, the blasted Quantam Dial, as fast as he possibly could, holding his breath as he gritted his teeth together. Nothing would stop him from reaching his goal. Nothing would ever slow him down. He was Sonic the Hedgehog.

And as Sally ran, her breath broken into pathetic sobs and her vision blurred beyond recognition, she wondered to herself. Was this really the last she'd ever see of him? Was this really the end of Sonic, the hero of Mobius?

She didn't have the time to ask. A force that felt like a thousand pounds threw the princess down into the snow, which was followed almost instantly by a deafening BOOM! Though she was sure that she knew what it was, she couldn't help herself from thinking, "What on Mobius?"

It felt as if she had been lying in the snow for forever by the time she looked up. And when she did finally get up and glance back, she was unsurprised to see that the Quantam Dial and Sonic were gone.

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I'm going to be trying my best to update this everyday. Hopefully, I can find time to keep up...

Reviews are welcome! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, alerted, and faved!


	3. Light

**3. Light**

It was… so cheesy. Really, it was. When I admitted it, I felt so girly and silly, and I honestly believed that he was going to laugh in my face. Lines like that were _never_ actually used in real life… only movies only ever pulled them off. And even then, it wasn't possible without the background music, special effects, or the fairytale magic present in all love stories.

But when I said it, I had meant it. I had meant it more than anything else I had ever said in my life. "You… you're my light. You know that right?"

He nearly jumped at my words and I could tell just from his expression that he hadn't been expecting it. Not at all. When he turned to me, I nearly expected him to make a big joke about it, but he didn't. Instead, he smiled at me and raised an eyebrow. "Where did that come from, Sal?"

His voice—I'd never tell it to his face because his head would become even fatter that it already was—sent my heart racing. I smiled softly and blushed for some reason, so I turned my head away in an attempt to keep him from seeing. "I just really look up to, whether you realize it or not."

I could tell that he was smirking, even though I couldn't see his face. "Of course you do. I'm taller than you!"

I rolled my eyes, "I didn't mean it like that, you dork." And I pushed him.

He nearly fell off the log we were sitting on, so he laughed, "I know, I know!" And suddenly, he pulled me into a tight hug. "You're just fun to tease. You know that right?"

"If I didn't know that by know, I'd have to be blind."

"And deaf."

"And mute."

"And short."

Furrowing my brows, I take a long moment to stare at him. He simply smiles his award winning grin, and I shake my head as a result. "You are a weird-o. You really are."

"Ah yes, but I'm your weird-o." And as I pull my hand up to my face, he laughs again. It makes me smile wider.

* * *

One of my favorite things about Sonic and Sally's relationship is that they always tease each other. :) I find it very amusing.

Thanks for the reviews, faves, and follows! :) It means a lot!


	4. Dark

**4. Dark**

She was four, and he had just turned five. He was old enough to count his age on one hand, "Look unc, five! That's way past cool!" And from the moment he turned five, he was determined to share that knowledge with every being in the city. He was a big boy now, and everyone had to know it! And as was routine, he made sure they all knew what it meant to be a big boy. He was old enough to go to kindergarten, old enough to buy his own chili dogs, and old enough to sleep without a night-light!

But she was still four, and still afraid of the dark.

It wouldn't have really matter much if she had spent every night alone in her room, but the fact of the matter was that she hadn't. During Sir. Charles and her father's late night chats, she had spent many nights with her best friend next to her, snoring and sleeping like it was nobody's business. And since he was a "big boy," that meant that the room was pitch black every night.

Usually, though, it didn't bother her too much. Most nights, the young princess was too exhausted to pay any attention to the darkness. Being so young, her primary goal in life was to wear herself out, eat when necessary, then crash for the night and do it all over again the next day. It was a simple routine, and it made sleeping a breeze. When fatigue took her by the hand and led her to slumber, she knew that it had been a good day.

However, there were days when the two had been forced to "behave" and be on their best behavior. It was boring to say the least, and unfortunately, it left the two with too much energy to deal with successfully at bedtime. He dealt with it a little easier than she did (since he was especially talented at falling asleep whenever he felt like it), but she… had issues with it, to put it simply.

It was on that first night without exhaustion that her fear began to pry on her nerves. Everywhere she turned she could see _them _dancing in the shadows_. _Monsters, beasts, evil creatures; they were all waiting for the opportune moment to strike. They waited for the moment to devour her alive, to destroy her, rip her apart, take her by the throat and choke the life out of her—such images only made her horror that much stronger.

When were they going to get her? When were they going to end her misery? She was scared! She just wanted it to end! Sally let out a quiet wordless breath—a sob, a whimper—as tears began to overflow her eyes. It was terrible… it was horrible and terrible, and just plain mean! Why did—

"Thally?" The girl's heart paused at the sound of her friend's voice, "Are you okay?"

Ever so quietly, the young girl turned on her side and faced her friend. His emerald eyes were fixated on her and filled with worry while his mouth hung open in a wordless gap. He was missing his two front teeth thanks to a mishap with an untied shoelace and a tree, but other than that, he looked the same as ever.

"Thal?" His lisped version of her nickname made her blink back into reality after a few moments of staring, leaving her to quickly shake her head. She was most definitely _not _okay. Heck, she was ready to start bawling like a baby.

The blue boy was silent for a moment as he stared at his friend. Then he took in a deep breath and pulled his hand out from under the covers, placing it on top of her red hair. He stroked it several times before speaking, "You're okay Thally. I'm a big boy. Do you know what that meanth?" She shook her head. "No one ith gonna meth with ya ath long ath I'm here. Okay?"

The little girl stared up at him for what felt like forever. Then quietly, she nodded and swallowed. He smiled at her again, and though he didn't know it, it meant the world to her.

* * *

This one was especially fun to write. :) I enjoyed this one. ^^

Thanks to Spectacular Spider-Man for the fave, the alert from Edwiddlem. And thanks to all the reviews too! :D They mean a lot! XD


	5. Seeking Solace

**5. Seeking Solace**

Sonic wasn't usually one to seek out comfort, and though she was young, Sally knew that for a fact. She had seen it first-hand on so many instances. When he scraped his knee every time he tripped, whenever he bumped his head on something because he wasn't paying enough attention, whenever his uncle talked about Jules and Bernadette; though Sonic was always willing to help out others with their problems, he never liked talking about his own. It just wasn't Sonic's style, and it never had been.

So when Sonic opened up to Sally about that fateful day that had occurred a year ago—when his uncle had been roboticized—Sally had been more than surprised. She had been shocked, flabbergasted, and to be honest, a little bit confused too. Since when did Sonic ever open up to anyone? She didn't know. And to be honest, she wasn't sure if she cared. If Sonic was opening up to her, it meant that she needed to listen, and she _had_ to pay attention. And throughout the entire conversation, she did just that.

"Sal, how on Mobius are we supposed to save Uncle Chuck? How are we supposed to win this… war?" he spoke as if the word was made of poison. "We're not nearly as smart as Robuttnik. Heck, we're only kids! Kids for crying out loud! And we're all that's left. Uncle Chuck's not here, and neither is your dad. All we really have is Rosie, and she can't fight… she can't fight at all. Sal, how are we going to do this?"

Sally stared at him for a long time. Even though he was only seven, she could see it in his eyes; one year of war had aged him for a thousand eternities. It was horrible; but even worse than that was that she could see it in her every one of her friends and in herself as well. When she looked in the mirror, she didn't recognize the girl staring back at her. To Sally, it looked like a full-grown, heart-broken woman trapped in the body of a child.

For a long time, she pondered on what to say. "I… I don't know Sonic." And when she spoke, she was extremely careful with her tone. "I really don't. But I know we can do it, one day."

Sonic returned the stare. For a moment, Sally thought he was going to stay like that; frozen and unmoving, afraid to continue and face the future. But suddenly something seemed to click, and a smile lit up his face. Within an instant, the old Sonic was back. It caught Sally by surprise, but the hug was even more shocking.

"Thanks Sal."

She hadn't even said anything that helpful, let alone that comforting! Despite this, Sally smiled and returned the hug, "Anytime Sonic."

* * *

Not much to say about this one. I enjoyed this one, though. :)

Thanks for the faves, alerts, and reviews! ^^ They mean a lot to me!


	6. Break Away

**6. Break Away**

"Come on Sal, it will be one meeting. One little meeting! You can make it up any day of the week— heck whenever you want cause you're the princess—but you won't get a chance like this again. Just once, won't you try to have at least a little fun?"

The princess stood in her room with folded arms and a guilty conscience as she weighed the two options in her mind. Should she go to the meeting and do as she had been told, or take a day off and actually enjoy herself for once? Would she risk getting in trouble with her father, the king? Would it be worth the scolding she'd receive, or was it better to play it safe like she always did? What to do, what to do…

The impatient hero stood before her with folded arms (like hers) as he tapped his foot, an irritated glare glued to his face. After a few seconds of standing there, he growled out loud. "If you don't decide in the next ten seconds, I'm leaving without you!"

"Sorry, sorry! I'm just thinking." Sally sighed, "I don't know whether it would be a good idea to go or not. I mean it sounds fun, but…"

Sonic rolled his eyes and unfolded his arms, placing a hand on Sally's shoulder as if to empathize with her. "Listen Sal. I know that you're all for following the rules, but you need to have fun once in awhile. Haven't you ever just wanted to… break away from it all? Just for a day? Maybe even for a second?"

Sally huffed, "Of course I have! Do you honestly believe that I enjoy sitting around all day and doing nothing? I'd love to do something else for once!"

"Then let's go."

The girl froze as she watched him walk towards the window. He pushed it open and turned to face her, a slight smile on his face. Ever so silently, he reached his hand out to her. For a thousand years she stood there staring at him before she finally reached her decision.

"You are going to get me in so much trouble one of these days." She sighed, taking his hand.

His smirk transformed into a full-fledged grin, and he scooped her up into his arms. "I know. Imagine how much fun it will be!"

She just rolled her eyes at him.

* * *

Sal needs to relax for once. B) Sonic is pretty good at persuasion. I enjoyed this one!

I hope you liked it! Thanks for all the reviews! ^^


	7. Heaven

**7. Heaven**

"Sal, what do you think Heaven's like?"

The question surprised Sally; it honestly did. Since when had Sonic been … philosophical? Sitting up straight from where she sat, Sally cleared he throat. "I think it's…" She paused though, when she realized that she didn't know. She had spent so much time worrying about trivial everyday matters that she had barely ever thought about things like Heaven. From what she had pondered, though, she had found a conclusion on one thing. "It's peaceful."

Sally could hear Sonic hum to himself. "Makes sense." And a moment later, she could hear the soft _thump _of him landing on the ground. She turned just in time to see him sit next to her, his back against the tree trunk and a smile on his face.

"So what about you then?" Sally asked as Sonic sat back into a more comfortable position. "What do _you_ think it's like?"

Sonic's ears perked up at the question as if he had been expecting her to ask it in return, and he grinned as he spoke. "I think it's a place where you can sit back and relax without ever having to worry about silly stuff like politics, or chores, or anything like that. If you want to, you can go for a run or take a nap whenever you feel like it… heck, maybe you can even grab a chili dog while you're at it!" Sally chuckled at that part, and Sonic smirked in reply.

"I also think… it's a place where you'd be happy. I mean, there'd be things that would make you happy to be there." Sonic furrowed his brow at his words as if he had confused himself, but he did his best to continue nonetheless.

"I mean… if Heaven's your reward for being good in life, don't you think that the big guy would give you a reward you'd enjoy? I don't think you'd just be sitting there all day and singing in the choir. What fun would that be for the bad singers?" Sally laughed at that, and Sonic smirked in response before continuing. "To me, Heaven would be where everything you loved would be. It'd be home."

Sally's mind raced as she watched him put his hands behind his head and cross one leg over the other. "Uncle Chuck, Tails, my mom and dad, you… all of you guys would be there. Oh, and Muttski. Muttski would be there too."

The girl let her thoughts wander as she watched him, half expecting him to continue as he lay there with his eyes closed. When he didn't respond, she spoke. "So, I'm on your 'people who'd be there' list?"

Even with closed eyes, his smirk said so much. "Sal, do you have to complicate stuff so much?" She huffed in response, and his smiled widened. "Yes, you'd be there too. It wouldn't be Heaven without you."

Sally's cheeks burned red, and with a smile she nodded. "Thanks." And then after a moment of thinking, she pulled a face. "Since when did you get so… philosophical?"

He never responded. He only smiled.

* * *

There are times when people in life will throw you quite the curve ball, and Sonic's no exception to this rule, especially when Sally's concerned. I rather enjoyed this one...

Thanks to everyone who faved, reviewed, and added this story to your favorites! It means a lot! :)


	8. Innocence

**8. Innocence**

His eyes are wide and his heart is racing as the doctor asks him, "Would you like to hold her?" and at that moment, his heart stops. Does he dare risk it? Does he dare take hold of that tiny, fragile child? For what feels like the first time in his life, he feels genuine fear as he nods and stretches his arms out. What if he drops her? What if he hurts her? The doctor gently hands the little girl to him, and for just a moment, he can't breathe. He can barely move or even think as he stands there, staring at her itty-bitty form.

And then, she opens her eyes for just a moment, and he sees the whole world. He sees the stars, endless curiosity, and a quiet something—knowledge, knowing?—that's he's her dad. A quiet gasp is released from his throat, and his heart skips a beat; maybe a thousand beats. To be honest, he can't tell because he's so mesmerized by her.

"She's… she's beautiful." He finally finds his voice, and it's all he can say. "She's perfect." And even as he speaks, he's still captivated by her bright blue-gray eyes (the doctor says they will most likely change color), her tiny nose, the small tuft of blue hair, the brown fur… she looks so much like Sal, but he can see a few things—little things—that proves to him that she's his.

"Can… I see her?" He nearly jumps when he's pulled back into reality, but he quickly nods. Ever so carefully, he walks over to his exhausted wife (never taking his eyes off the child), and cautiously sits down on the bed next to her. He adjusts his position until they can both look at her, and as soon as Sal's eyes meet her, she too gasps.

For what feels like an eternity, she's wordless and her eyes are filled with something—surprise maybe?—that lights up the room. Then, tears begin to overflow her eyes and she laughs. A laugh of pure joy, of relief, of admiration, and she speaks. "She really is beautiful." She smiles wider and looks up at her husband, and he turns to look at her as well. She takes in a deep breath and lets out a happy sigh, "We did it."

"Was there ever any doubt?" He smiles at her and puts his free arm around her as she takes a hold of their baby, and he whispers in her ear, "I love you."

And as the tears roll down her cheeks, she responds. "And I love you, Sonic the Hedgehog."

* * *

I really liked writing this one... :)

Thanks to brave kid, ShadowEmpress76, Chicket the Chickadee, and Spectacular Spider-Man for all the reviews. XD They mean a bunch to me! And also, thanks to all who alert and favorite this story!


	9. Drive

**9. Drive**

As soon as he was properly situated into the driver's seat, Sally simply had to belt out the question. "Do you even know how to drive this thing?"

As the two pulled their seatbelts over their bodies, Sonic let a smirk take over his face. "Does it really matter?" She didn't respond, but he continued anyway. "Besides, if this is the only way to go after Eggman," he patted the cast on his left leg as if to remind her, "then we might as well do it, right? Besides," he snapped his fingers and uttered a quick chaos incantation, and the engine roared to life as a result. "It's not like I haven't done this before."

Sally raised her eyebrows in surprise as she let her shoulders slump in relief. "Really?" He nodded, "That's good to know."

Sonic nodded again and grabbed the shift-stick. "Course, it has been awhile." He said, throwing the vehicle into drive.

"Awhile?" Sally's heart dropped. "How long is awhile?"

He shrugged and wrapped his hands around the steering wheel, "I don't know. A year and a half; maybe two?" And with that thought, Sonic shoved his right foot onto the gas pedal, and the car shot off.

The lurch of the car made Sally shriek. "Two years? Why in the world are we taking the risk of stealing a car when you can't even drive?" He didn't answer, but rather, sped up down the street, cutting off several drivers in the process. So instead of waiting to hear his answer, Sally blurted out, "How on Mobius did you pass your driving test?"

Sonic threw his head back and laughed out loud, "What driving test?"

Sally's eyes widened and she gasped—or at least, she tried to—as Sonic punched the big blue button on the dashboard. The car began to shift and transform, and within an instant, it had morphed into its more advanced version; the hovercar. It left Sally breathless as she glanced around at the new features, but when she saw Sonic's expression, she quickly did her best to regain her breathing level and speak. "Sonic, don't you even—"

Before she could even think of finishing her sentence, he pushed down hard on the gas, readjusted the wheel, and shot off into the sky, laughing the entire time. Sally did what she usually did when faced with high speed situations and screamed.

In-between his fit of laughter, Sonic was able to fit in a few words. "Ha! This is almost as fun as running! Don't you think, Sal?"

"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU SO MUCH, YOU STUPID HEDGEHOG!"

Sonic took a moment to raise an eyebrow, glance at the princess next to him, and smirk. "Scared, much?"

"AAAAHHHHH!" Was her response.

He merely smirked again and chuckled as he turned back to the road—or lack of—before him. "Noob." And with that, he pressed down harder on the gas, making her scream even louder.

* * *

Warning: don't let hedgehogs drive. They suck at it.

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76 for her review on the last installment! :) Glad to know that you found that last one so touching! ^^


	10. Breathe Again

**10. Breathe Again**

Soaking wet and exhausted beyond belief, Sally collapsed on the beach, gasping for proper breath the entire time. Her mind raced as she lay there, and she did her best to regain any energy that she could. Images flashed through her mind—Sonic attacking Eggman, an explosion going off, Sonic falling out of the aircraft and Sally diving after him—and her heart raced faster. How long had he been in the water before she had dragged him to the shore? Swallowing, Sally pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, trying harder and harder to regain control of her limbs.

"Sonic, are you okay?" She asked as she looked off to the left where she had stopped dragging him. He was still in the same exact spot as she had left him, his arms spread out, his eyes still closed. Sally stared at him for a few moments as she waited for him to answer, still panting the entire time. "Sonic?"

Almost instantly after she had called his name, something clicked in her mind, and fear grasped her by the heart. "Sonic!" She jumped up onto her feet and without another word, rushed to his side. As soon as she was down next to him, her heart skipped another beat, and for a moment, she felt like screaming. His entire body had turned horribly still, and his expression had morphed into one of pure numbness. Had… had he…?

No! She wasn't going to allow it! No matter what, she wasn't going to lose him! Taking in a deep breath, the princess began to run herself through a series of procedures. "Okay… okay, what first?" She sifted through her thoughts until the memory struck her. "Right! Check to see if he's breathing!" Course, since that one was rather obvious, Sally decided to skip it. "Next, tilt chin back, and see if there's anything that would keep him from breathing correctly." Carefully, she pulled his chin up so it was pointed toward the sky, then opened his mouth. From what she could see, there was nothing blocking his airways…

"Administer rescue breathing." Had she actually ever received proper training for this? As Sally plugged his nose and moved forward, doubt began to slowly poison her train of thought. Didn't they say that if you had never received training for stuff like CPR and rescue breathing that it was more dangerous to them than doing nothing at all? Gritting her teeth, Sally shook the thought off. Did it matter? If there was a risk involved, it was easily out-weighed by the chance of saving him.

So with that thought in mind, she began the cycle of rescue breathes. After two of them, though, a thought crossed her mind. Had she checked his pulse? She growled to herself. What had she been thinking? Or rather, what hadn't she been thinking? A quick check proved that he had a faint pulse that was rapidly becoming weaker. Fear plagued her heart again, but she did her best to shake it off and continue.

She gave him a few more breathes, and when he didn't react, she cried out in frustration, "Don't you dare give up on me, Sonic!"

Her heart beginning to drop and her body starting to feel warm from the anger and frustration, Sally nearly squealed in delight when Sonic started coughing. Without another word, she turned him onto his side and patted him on the back a few times. He coughed harder and harder until finally, he began to take deep, ragged breathes. His body shuddered and for a few moments, he was silent.

"Thank goodness," Sally whispered, leaning forward and kissing him on the forehead. "I thought you were a goner…"

He coughed again and ever so slowly, looked up at Sally. "Sal? What… what on Mobius happened? I feel like I just swallowed a handful of thumbtacks…"

Tears brimming in her eyes, Sally smiled. "I just saved your life. No big."

Sonic took a moment to react, but when he did, his reaction was exactly what Sally had been expecting. Smirking, he laughed (and coughed), "Well. Looks like we're about even now."

"Yeah, we are."

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Gosh I'm tired. I need to go to bed... hope you guys liked this one! ^^

Thanks to The Dark Omega, Thomas Holmes II, and ShadowEmpress76 for the reviews! And thanks to The Dark Omega and Wrath Of The Heavens for faving and adding this story to your alerts! ^^ It means a lot to me!


	11. Memory

**11. Memory**

A smile on her face and a pleasant thought on her mind, Sally turned to Sonic as she placed her fork back on her plate. "Do you remember when you first kissed me?"

Sonic looked up from his chili dog, eyebrows raised in surprise. "Why are you bringing that up, Sal?" He asked, his mouth half full.

She smirked, even though she was slightly peeved with his lack of etiquette. "No reason, really. It's just…" She nearly laughed, "You had been eating a chili dog right before you did it and you didn't even wipe your mouth. I think the best part was when Bunnie walked in, and she yelled, 'oh mah stars, look at what Shugah Hog and Sally-Girl are up to! Looks like they're sharin' a chili dog the ole' fashioned way!' Whatever that means…"

For a single second, Sonic was silent as he did his best to recount the event. Then once it was as clear as day, he smiled a mischievous and evil grin. "Oh really? I didn't even wipe my mouth?"

"Yes, really, you didn't even stop to—" And then Sally realized how foolish she had been in telling Sonic about that memory of all things. What on Mobius had she done—why exactly had she told him? Standing up out of her chair, Sally pointed a finger in his face as she began to back way. "Don't you even think about it, Sonic the Hedgehog."

Sonic smiled as he too stood up out of his seat. "Too late, Sal." And with that, he dashed forward.

Sally squealed out loud and turned to run, but Sonic quickly took her by the waist and turned her around. She squeaked again and laughed, crying out, "No, don't you dare! Seriously Sonic, that's so gross!"

"You're the one that brought it up, princess, don't blame me!" And with that, he pulled her into a kiss. She at first tried to fight and push him away, but the harder she struggled, the stronger Sonic's grip became on her. After a few moments she gave up, and it was at that point when Sonic pulled away.

And as she had been expecting, he was laughing. "Ha! You look ridiculous!"

"You are so gross."

He merely chuckled, "Don't lie to yourself, Sal. You enjoyed it."

She opened her mouth to speak, but quickly closed it again. She knew that no matter what, Sonic wasn't going to accept her reply, even if she made it as convincing as possible. So instead of responding to his question, she countered with a sharp, "Shut up."

He laughed at her, and with that, she shook her head. Then just as if nothing had happened, the two continued with their lunch, exchanging goofy glances every once in awhile.

* * *

Sometimes I've brought stuff up that sealed my doom like this... Actually, I've done it a lot. Yay for chili dog kisses! XD

Thanks once again to ShadowEmpress76 and The Dark Omega for reviewing! ^^ I find if funny that you were humming that song, ShadowEmpress76. XD And I'm glad you like these so far, The Dark Omega! :D Thanks once again to everyone! XD


	12. Insanity

**12. Insanity**

She stared at him, her mouth half-way open, her heart dropping to her stomach. How on… why on… she simply didn't know what to say. It had been one thing to see him in that horrible state several weeks ago, but to see him like this,this of all things… it didn't just break her heart, it ripped it apart. It tore _her_ apart.

And she simply didn't know what to do. "Sal, I can't do this anymore. I just can't. I failed, and now they're all expecting me to pick up the pieces like it's no big deal. I'm losing my mind here and I… I…" He swallowed the lump in his throat and took a deep breath, but she knew it before he did. No matter what, he wasn't going to be able to continue. At least, he wasn't going to be able to talk without breaking down. And oh, how she hated that.

So, believing that he had become incapable of speaking, Sally spoke carefully. "Sonic, I know everything will be alright. Things might look bad right now, but if you just keep trying you'll be able to beat Eggman in no—"

"LOOK AT ME, SAL!" His rage made her jump back in shock, but it was the tears running down his face that destroyed her. With gritted teeth and a furious, heart-broken expression, he continued speaking. "I can't fight Eggman, I can't beat his dumbest bots; heck, I can't even write my own name without needing help!" It was at that point in time that he motioned—with his right arm—to the stub where his left arm once was.

"If I can't even perform the easiest of tasks by myself, how am I supposed to beat the man who's taken over Mobius? I'm useless, Sal! Useless!" Sonic yelled, making Sally jump back again by the severity of his voice. She hated seeing him like this—hated it, hated it, hated it. And apparently, he did too.

The anger melting away as quickly as it had appeared, Sonic swallowed, shrinking back into his spot. "Sal… I'm going to go insane. I just can't do this anymore. I just can't." He took in a deep, ragged breath and hung his head. "I'm sorry."

The princess stared at him for a long time. "Why are you sorry? It's not like it was your fault that you failed. Eggman was just one step ahead of us this time, that's all."

Warily, Sonic shook his head. "It's a lot more than that, Sal."

For a long time after that, he was quiet, and Sally wondered if he had been over-taken by the grief (as surreal as it sounded). Then, in a quiet voice, Sonic whispered, "Sal… do you remember that offer you made to me?"

At first, Sally didn't know what he was talking about. "What…?"

"Back when you slapped me." Oh. _That. _"You asked me about what was more important… and you asked me if I would stay by your side. Sal…" He looked up, wearing a heavy frown that was adorned with tears, and spoke. "Is it too late to take it up?"

Sally's heart skipped a beat and she nearly gasped. "Sonic…"

He swallowed again and wiped the tears underneath his right eye, and then his left as he continued. "I know it sounds ridiculous, and I know you probably don't even care about me like that anymore, but I really need you Sal. I need you. I know I wasn't there for you when you needed me, but I can't do this alone. Sal… please."

She stood there with a wordless gap on her face as her mind raced ahead. She knew exactly what she wanted to say, and if she hadn't been thinking so hard, she would have yelled it out at that exact moment. Yes! Of course! I would never say no! It was exactly what she had wanted all those months ago, exactly what she had been dreaming of, everything she ever needed in her life… but she didn't want it like this. Not when he was so broken, not when it because he felt weak. Oh how bitterly ironic it was… just when she was finally getting what she wanted, she realized that she didn't want it anymore.

But for some reason, Sonic did, and he didn't just want it; he needed it. He needed it more than anything else in the world.

So after a long period of silence, Sally nodded. "Do you even need to ask?"

He appeared surprised at first. Then, a smile—oh, how much she loved seeing that—found its way onto his face. "Sal…" Sonic nearly laughed (despite the tears on his face), and without another word, he rushed towards her. With his only arm he hugged her, the tears still streaming down his cheeks. "Thank you Sal, thank you. I can't even tell you how much this means to me."

Sally swallowed back the lump in her throat, wrapping her arms around him. "You're welcome Sonic. Anything for you…"

* * *

This is one of my personal favorites so far. It would take a lot to push Sonic that far off the edge... and that's why he'd need Sal.

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76, The Dark Omega, Thomas Holmes II, and Spectacular Spider-man for reviewing! It means a lot to me! ^^ And thanks to pokegirl2 as well for the favorite! :)

Until tomorrow!


	13. Misfortune

** 13. Misfortune**

The old iron gate slamming to a close with a metallic crash, Sonic gritted his teeth together and cried out, "We were just passing through, you cowards! How many times do I have to tell you that before it makes any sense to you?" The guard that had escorted the hedgehog—a burly rhino clad in ninja-like garbs—simply snorted in disgust and walked off, not daring for even a second to turn back. "Hey! I was talking to you! Hello? Mr. I-Can't-Hear-a-Thing-to-Save-my-Life, I want you to respond!"

From her bed in the cell they shared, Sally sighed. "If you keep annoying them like this, they're going to shoot you with another dart. Or maybe this time, they'll gag you instead since the dart didn't keep you quiet last time…"

"Ha, ha, we're all laughing, Sal." Sonic growled as he turned in his spot and began hopping over to his bed (thanks to the cuffs around his ankles). As she watched him jump across the room, she let out a simple "ha."

"You have no on to blame but yourself, Sonic. If you had just behaved and followed the rules in the first place, you wouldn't have had your arms and legs cuffed. Then maybe you'd at least be able to stretch or something…"

Sonic huffed, "In case you forgot, little Miss. Prissy-no-Pant, you still have cuffs on your legs too. And unlike you," with a quick chaos incantation, he pulled the cuffs on his wrists apart, then the ones on his legs too. "I'm willing to bend the rules just enough so I _can _be comfortable."

She rolled her eyes and sighed again. "You're also probably making them want to shoot you even more." Sally told him, shaking her head in the process.

Sonic shrugged. "They should know by know that that won't keep me down. Besides," With a quick jump, Sonic plopped onto the bed, crossing one leg over the other and putting his hands behind his head. "They're going to run out of that stuff soon than later. They might as well give up while they can."

"I promise, Sonic, they'll find a way to knock you out regardless."

The blue hedgehog merely yawned. "Whatever." And with that, he closed his eyes.

Sally folded her arms as she lay on the bed, listening carefully to the patterns of his breathing. It had grown silent all too quickly, and since Sally didn't have Nicole with her at the moment (thanks to their captors), she was becoming bored. Though she wasn't as showy about her boredom as he was, she wasn't about to let it go unnoticed. "This is all your fault. You know that, right?"

He chuckled, "Personally, I blame bad luck. Just a bit of misfortune."

"I still blame you."

Silent for only a moment, Sonic shook his head. "Do you have to be so cryptic?" And with the chaos loaded snap of his fingers, the cuffs around Sally's ankles became brittle. With a simple movement they broke apart, and without another word, she shot up off the bed.

She took a few moments to tear off the remains of the cuffs as Sonic sat back in relaxation. "You're welcome, by the way." He said, making her glance up once she had finished.

Rolling her eyes, Sally swatted away at the air. "Yeah, yeah." And with that, she too plopped down onto her bed.

* * *

When you know someone long enough, you can say one thing, mean another, and they'll still totally understand what you really are saying. :) Sonic and Sally are no exception to this rule...

Thanks to Thomas Holmes II and Chicket the Chickadee for reviewing! :D I hope you guys liked this one too! ^^


	14. Smile

** 14. Smile**

It had been a long time since Sonic had seen Sally smile, and to put it simply, it was driving him insane. Losing Nicole had been really hard on her, and though their wedding had shed light on her difficult time, an unfortunate case of Appendicitis that she had been gifted with during their honeymoon had been enough to dampen her moods yet again (and he didn't blame her at all for that). Since then, only quiet, heart-broken frowns had graced her face. When he talked to her, her speech consisted of mostly sad, "Yeahs," and half-hearted, "Ah-huhs," and it had reached the point where Sonic was ready to beat his head on the wall.

And no, it wasn't because it made him mad, but rather because he didn't know what to do about it. The usual things that had ever cheered her up weren't working anymore, and even his most full-proof plans had failed him on every occasion. He had actually found himself in a slump on several days because of it, but being who he was, it didn't last for long. No matter what, he always picked himself up and did his best to spread a good mood, and though he didn't know how to at first, he knew he was going to be able to cheer Sally up eventually.

Eventually, the idea came to him, and it happened to pop into his head on the best day possible. How long had it been since they had had something sweet to eat? As soon as the question ran through his mind, a smile lit up his face and he dashed to the kitchen. Though it was a silly idea, Sonic knew for a fact that sometimes, something as simple as a tasty treat was enough to brighten one's day. And since Sal had left for a boring old meeting (she had told him that she didn't want to go), it had left him with an empty house and a bunch of cooking supplies begging to be used. How could he refuse?

When he was in there, though, he realized how little he knew about cooking. What exactly was the difference between baking soda and baking powder? A tablespoon and a teaspoon? He thought about asking Tails for help since he was visiting Knothole at the time, but he quickly pushed the idea away. It was going to be his way of cheering up the princess—not Tails's, not Bunnie's, not his mother's—and he was going to do it right. With that thought in mind, Sonic grabbed the apron (ignoring the fact that it felt girly to wear it), grabbed the cook-book, began gathering ingredients, and got to work.

He learned very quickly, though, what a lack of experience in the kitchen did. A mess followed him wherever he went (how did that sack of flower rip at the bottom?), he constantly mixed up ingredients (I'm sure it will do the same thing as that other stuff), and after putting his creation in the oven and laying down for a moment to rest, he found himself rushing for the fire extinguisher. After somehow—amazingly—setting the fire extinguisher itself on fire (I swear, I have no idea how it happened!), Sonic had to rush out to the nearest river and gather as much water as he could via chaos powers and run back to the house. And as luck would have it, he happened to run right past Sal (crap, crap, CRAP)!

Though he was able to kill the fire with a swift motion of his hands, making all the water fling itself onto the flames, he knew that he was really in for it. Especially since the moment he ran out of the house—smoke and steam causing him to choke and wheeze—he nearly ran right into Sally. And as he had been expecting (and fearing), she was wearing a wide, wordless, awe-struck gap. What on Mobius?

For a long time, Sonic didn't know what to say as they stared at one another. Then, knowing that there was better option, he told her the truth. It was a long story, and for most of if, he felt like hitting himself with the nearest heavy object. How could have been so stupid? Why on Mobius had he tried to cheer her up with cooking of all things? Cooking! When he finished recounting his sad, sad tale, he shrunk back in his spot, expecting the scolding of a lifetime.

But then—to his shock—he saw a smile grace her lips. And then she laughed. And she laughed, and she laughed, and she laughed… and he just stood there in shock, wondering how on Mobius he had done it. He was going to ask her, but just as he was about to say it, she took him by the hand. Her smile said a thousand things, and so did the tears that were glistening in her eyes. Somehow, even though he had messed up big time, he had made her smile. And that was all that mattered.

* * *

This one was another personal favorite. :) I love feel good stories like this one! ^^

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76 and The Dark Omega for reviewing! :D It means a lot! ^^


	15. Silence

** 15. Silence**

With a quick strike and loud yelp, Sonic was sent skidding and soaring across the floor.

Her heart skipping a beat at the site, Sally cried out. "Sonic!" She gasped, her eyes growing wide as she reached her hand out to him. Without stopping to think, she dashed after him.

"Not so fast, princess!" The evil doctor's words caused her to freeze in her spot and turn back to face him. As soon as she spotted him though, she was back-handed away with the metallic hand of the robot walker. She went flying through the air and she collided with the wall, releasing a loud screech as soon as she made contact with it.

"Sal!" Sonic cried out as he struggled up onto his feet, gritting his teeth in the process.

Dr. Eggman chuckled and cackled at the sound of Sonic's voice. "What's the matter Sonic? Does your princess need rescuing again? Oh ho ho ho ho!"

Sonic growled in irritation. He had been hearing that stupid laugh for the entire fight, and he was about ready to knock Eggman's teeth out. If he heard him even chuckle one more time, he was going to—

"Too bad that you're going to die." Oh, how original Eggman was at times. "Now, prepare to perish! Oh ho ho h—"

The doctor paused mid-sentence when the hedgehog suddenly appeared directly in front of him, standing on the robot walker, a somewhat playful—and slightly irritated—expression on his face. "Has anyone ever told you how annoying your laugh is?"

Dr. Eggman raised his eyebrows in surprise and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Sonic let out an angry cry. With a lightning fast strike, the blue hedgehog punched the man in the cheek, causing any power he had had on controls to fail drastically. He turned the walker off to the left in a sharp turn, causing the walker to slowly tilt off to the floor.

The doctor screeched out as a result, and without another word, Sonic jumped off the walker. As soon as his feet hit the ground, he dashed off towards Sally, who was sitting against the wall, panting deep and jagged breathes. In the background, as he ran, he could hear the robot walker collide with the ground, but he ignored it for the time. He had much more important matters to attend to.

Once he reached her, he bent down on his knees so he was at her level. "Sal, you okay?" He asked, his voice filled with concern as he stretched his hand out to her.

The girl shuddered and coughed once, reaching her hand out to his. "Yeah, just really sore. But hey, what's new?"

Sonic shrugged and pulled Sally up onto her feet, opening his mouth to speak. The angry voice of the doctor echoed out from the other side of the room before he had the chance, though.

"Now you've done it, you miserable rodent! Now you're really going to pay." And the two turned just in time to watch the walker transform and morph into its "offensive" mode, the walker now being adorned with various rocket shooters, guns, and other fancy weapons. "Let's see how well you handle this!"

The hedgehog and the chipmunk-squirrel hybrid exchanged a quiet, wordless glance. They had known each other long enough to read in-between the lines, and the silence that they shared said a thousand words. With a sudden, cocky smirk, Sonic laughed. "Shall we?"

Sally simply sighed, "We might as well."

Sonic smiled again, and without another word, he grabbed her by the hands. With a quick powerful turn he started to spin her around and around, and after many quick turns, he then did something that seriously threw Eggman for a loop: he tossed her into the air.

The man simply watched. "What on…?" And then he realized that she was heading right towards him, and with a grin, he aimed at her with one of the guns. "Foolish! You two are simp—" But the powerful blow of Sonic's unseen attack sent the machine reeling back yet again. It made the doctor cry out in anger, and when he looked back, he was displeased to see that Sonic was smiling, holding Sally in his arms (who to his annoyance was also smiling).

"First rule, Eggman." Sonic said, wearing his signature cocky grin. "Don't ever mess with my girl." Sonic and Sally exchanged another glance, and it was at that point in time that Eggman realized how badly he was going to lose.

* * *

I love those moments when you and your friend give each other that evil look and you know exactly what the other one is thinking... :D

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76 and The Dark Omega for reviewing! :D See ya next time!


	16. Questioning

** 16. Questioning**

His arms bound behind him, his body sore beyond belief, and his face bruised black, Sonic continued to grin at the emotionless metal figure before him. "Wow. That actually kind of stung that time. Are you actually trying, now?"

CRACK! The figure slapped him again, and for a moment, Sonic saw stars. He blinked and regained control of his breathing, still wearing his cocky, stupid grin. "Holy crap. I saw stars that time. Not bad! Course, I have seen better, but hey, what can you do? You're not doing bad for your first interrogation."

"Silence," The figure hissed in a monotone, "You have been ordered to talk only when you are asked a question."

Sonic huffed, "If you haven't already noticed my dear, that hasn't stopped me so far."

Another slap, and Sonic gasped again. More stars blinked against a black sky, and for an entire moment, he couldn't breathe right. His ribs had earned several nice bruises for company during his beatings, and having to breathe deeply did not feel good in the slightest sense. Despite this, he took in several more deep gulps of air as the figure began to speak and the black background began to fade.

"Where are the other members of the Freedom Fighters?"

Sonic coughed and shook his head, "Sorry, I didn't quite get that. Still feeling a little loopy after that last smack." As he had expected, he received another strike for that comment.

As the stars danced across his blurry vision, the figure spoke again. "Do they know that you have failed your mission?"

Despite the fact that he didn't want to, Sonic decided at that moment that cooperating was the best idea. The last thing he needed was to be "knocked into next week," especially since he still had a chance of escaping. So, doing his best to regain his sense of balance, Sonic shook his head. "Nu… no. Don't think so…" Of course, that didn't mean that the world would stop spinning right away.

"Is there any chance of them pursuing you?"

Sonic swallowed, "There's no chance of them even trying, really. We're moving pretty fast in this ship thingy…"

"Ship thingy? Are you really so ignorant to use such weak terminology?"

At that moment, Sonic's ears perked up, and his spirits were lightened. That was how she usually talked before—

"Foolishness…" Sonic looked back up, his vision almost clear, his eyes glued again to the figure again. "What was the purpose of your mission? What were you trying to achieve before you failed?"

Sonic swallowed, taking in a deep breath before he responded. "Same thing I've been doing for the past six weeks, Sal. Trying to find a way to save you."

For a moment, she didn't respond. She was rigidly still and she almost appeared thoughtful—despite the fact that she was in her robotic form—and for a single second, a glimmer of hope shined down on Sonic. Then, suddenly, she turned again and slapped him once more. He gasped and coughed again afterward, and he swallowed heavy gulps of oxygen as Sally glared at him (was she doing it willingly, or had she been like that naturally because of her roboticization?)

"Answer only the questions I ask you, or face the consequences."

And Sonic—who was still dizzy and sore beyond all belief—looked up at her, his gaze defiant and brave as always. He shook his head and spoke. "I promise Sal. I'll figure it out. I will save you."

Sally hissed and slapped him again, and he was out cold within a second, still wearing that defiant (and annoying) smirk.

* * *

Ah, roboticization. How lovely it is. :)

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76 and The Dark Omega for reviewing last chapter! :D I really appreciate the fact that you guys have been reviewing for every chapter! ^^ And thanks to soccerstorm07 for favoriting this! :D


	17. Blood

**17. Blood**

The moment that she rounded the corner, ran into the hanger, and saw him, her heart dropped and she gasped. Everything became silent—the sounds melted together, really—and for an eternity and a half, even though there were friends all around him, he was all she could see. At that moment, she couldn't move, she couldn't breathe, and she couldn't even speak. And even if she could have said anything, what would it have been? She knew for a fact that if she even dared to open her mouth right then, she would have screamed, and it was taking everything she had inside her not to.

She swallowed hard and blinked as she stared at him, her legs turning to jelly as she walked forward towards him and the crowd. As sounds began to return to her reality, she realized with a shock that she could hear someone screaming. It was faint at first, and for a long time, she didn't know who it was. Voices also began to fade into existence, and instantly, she recognized most of them.

"Someone get the first aid kit NOW!" Sir Charles…

"Hold on son, everything's going to be okay." Jules…

"I'll kill him! I'm going to freaking kill him!" Knuckles…

"How did he survive…?" Rotor…

"Iz he going to make eet?" Antoine…

"Sonic, you'll be okay! Just hold on a little bit longer!" Tails…

But that screaming. Oh, that horrible screaming. Who on Mobius could it have been? It ripped her apart, broke her into tiny bite-sized pieces, and it made her want to tear her hair out. She had never heard anything like it before… expect maybe when…

And then everything hit her all at once. The adrenaline caught up with her, and within a moment, she recognized the severity of the situation. All the noise came rushing at her in full force (including the crying of Bernadette, Amy, and Tails), and she realized—with a dash of horror—that it was Sonic screaming. Tears filled her eyes and a moment later, she found herself screaming. It lasted for only a moment, but it was enough to catch the other's attention.

"What is she doing in here?" Sir Charles cried out in shock, "Get her out of here!

Sally shook her head and stepped forward again, but Bunnie's sudden grasp kept her from going any further. She gasped and struggled forward again, but almost effortlessly, Bunnie pulled her back. Fear took her by the heart, and she cried out. "No! Let go! I have to see him!" She thrashed about furiously, rage and frustration swallowing her whole as tears began to overflow her eyes. "Let me go!" But Bunnie kept dragging her back, and for an entire moment, she seriously believed that she was going to lose the fight.

Finally, though, Sally was able to escape her friend's grasp (thanks to a stroke of luck), and she ran as fast as she could, not stopping to glance back or even think about what she was doing. She pushed past the friends that were blocking her way, and within less than five seconds, she saw him. And suddenly, Sally wished that she had stayed back with Bunnie.

His left arm. Where was it? The gasps and sobs that took over at that moment shook her to her core. It was everywhere… the evil scarlet, crimson color. His fur was soaked in it and to her shock—and slight disgust—he was lying in a puddle of it. His own blood. It took everything she had to keep herself from throwing up.

"Come on, Sally-girl…"

For a long time, all Sally could do was stare at him. Then, shaking her head in response, she walked closer, moving to where his head was lying on the ground. No one stopped her or even questioned as she moved, and before long, she kneeled down by his head. Ever so carefully once she was there, she lifted his head onto her lap, doing her best not to disturb Sir Charles's work.

The hedgehog was still screaming, his eyes clamped shut and tears running down his cheeks, when Sally began to quietly talk to him. "Sonic, you're going to be okay. You're going to make it."

And to her surprise, his head moved up and she saw his eyes—his emerald green eyes—filled with tears as he whimpered, his screaming stopping for just a moment. His mouth formed the first syllable of her name, "Sa—" and then he screamed again and shut his eyes. From the corner of her eye, Sally could see Sir Charles work, and she could see that he too had tears running down his face.

Swallowing, Sally placed her hands on Sonic's cheeks, letting her lips carefully brush the top of his head. "You will be alright, Sonic." She whispered, barely able to speak at that point. "You'll be okay…"

The sounds of Sonic's cries filled the hanger for what felt like forever, and by the end, nearly everyone had left. Rotor had gone to the control room to help steer the ship to safety, Antoine and Bunnie had gone to get something to eat, Tails had gone to take a nap, Knuckles had left to calm himself down, and Amy and Bernadette had left because they were sick of crying. Even Sir Charles had left to contact Doctor Quack, so all that was left was Jules, Sally, and Sonic. Since Jules didn't need to sleep, he found no point in leaving. And Sally… she simply didn't have any reason to leave him. And even if she could have, everyone knew that she wouldn't.

* * *

Whoops! I was going to update this yesterday. I uploaded the chapter onto the site, but I forgot to update it! Sorry! Today's will also be up later.

This takes place in the same AU as Number 12. Not much else to say.

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76 and Thomas Holmes II for reviewing! :D And to Thomas: I'm actually thinking of doing several with Mecha Sally in this... :)


	18. Rainbow

** 18. Rainbow**

She knew from the moment that she looked at him that something was going on in his mind. And because he was Sonic, she also knew that that grin of his meant one thing and one thing alone. He had an idea brewing in his head, and that meant loads of trouble. Well, at least, it meant trouble for her.

"Say, Sal…" The hedgehog finally said, stopping in his place to look up at the rainbow in-between the green leaves and growth of the tropical forest. "Do you believe in that old legend-myth-thingy about rainbows?"

Sally stopped next to him, taking the moment to sweep the wet hair out of her face. Though it was only drizzling, they had been out in the rain for a long it time, and the two were soaked from head to toe. "What legend-myth-thingy, oh wise one?"

Sonic smirked. "That there's a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow. You've heard of it, right?"

Sally nodded. "Of course I have. Who on Mobius hasn't?"

Sonic hummed and turned back towards the rainbow again, smiling in the process. "True. Very true." And then he raised an eyebrow. "Have you ever tried to reach the end of the rainbow?"

"Of course I have. What kid didn't in their childhood?"

"You never succeeded though, right?"

Sally rolled her eyes. "Do you know anyone that has?"

Sonic shook his head. "No, I don't." Then, he smiled an evil grin. "But I know a couple of Mobians that are you going to try!"

"Wait, wha—WA!" The hedgehog scooped the girl up into his arms without so much as a single warning, and without another thought, he ran.

The princess screamed from surprise for only a few moments. Then, after Sonic had laughed for awhile, she calmed down and cried out. "What on Mobius are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing? Chasing the rainbow!" He exclaimed, laughing out loud once again.

As Sonic took a particularly large gap with a great jump, Sally gasped. "Why?"

"Cause no one ever has before!"

"You're insane!"

"I know Sally, I try!" He cried out, "That's what makes me so much fun!"

She growled, "You're such an adrenaline junkie!"

"There's no other way to live, Sal! And—whoa!" Sonic cried out as he jumped off the ledge of a small cliff, heading towards—to Sonic's and Sally's surprise—a small pond. "Crap! Crap, crap, cra—" Then the two crashed through the water's surface with a huge splash.

And when they resurfaced, Sonic came up with a great gasp. "Ah! I hate water! I hate, hate, hate it! Why on Mobius did I do that?"

Sally—who was wearing the smirk that Sonic had been using only moments ago—laughed. "It's the only way to live, Sonic. Haven't you heard?"

Sonic merely growled, "Shut it, Sal." Sally merely giggled as they waded off through the water, walking towards the rainbow once again. He continued to growl, though, and she kept chuckling the entire time.

* * *

A much more cheerful one-shot compared to last time's. :) I enjoyed writing this one...

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76, Thomas Holmes II, brave kid, and Spectacular Spider-Man for reviewing last time! ^^ It means a lot to me! :D

I'm glad that last one struck you guys. :) That was why I worked so hard on it... and to Spectacular Spider-Man, yes, I am a girl. XD And it's okay that you don't review! I'm just glad that you guys like it so much. :D Thanks again everyone!


	19. Gray

** 19. Gray**

It wasn't a happy color, or a sad color, but a melancholic color, if you could even call it that. One that you had to sit there and think about for a long time before it made any sense, and one that you had to be "deep" to understand. Or like. Or appreciate. Or enjoy. Or something stupid like that.

When I sat back and thought about it, though, I really had no right to be calling it stupid, especially since it "made sense" to me now, and that technically classified me as "gray" too. For a long time, I had thought of it to be useless, but it was only when I had gone through so much that it had made any sense. Or in my case, gone through such a "difficult hardship" when everyone else had it much worse in life. Or had I? My life hadn't exactly been a walk in the park either, but… still. Everyone else I knew had had it worse in some way or another.

But that still didn't mean that it didn't hurt. It wasn't like I hadn't been ripped apart because of it, it wasn't like I hadn't been heart-broken and miserable for weeks afterward, it wasn't like I hadn't cried for several hours at a time as soon as I was out of sight, and it wasn't like I didn't feel like a brat because of what I had said—and done. Just because it didn't count as "horrible" to everyone else didn't mean that it was a painless experience.

But I knew that I had to get over it. Everyone was expecting me to anyway; my mother and father, Bunnie, even the people that left. Especially the people that had left. Especially _Sonic. _

The moment his name popped into my mind on that day, it felt like poison burning on my tongue, even though I hadn't even thought about saying his name. My stomach churned and I felt like throwing up, and if it wasn't for the fact that my stomach was empty, I'm sure I would have. And who could blame me, really? After that awful break-up (and his unannounced departure), thinking about him hadn't exactly been easy. In fact, at times it was down-right impossible; some days, it made me want to beat my head on the nearest wall until I couldn't feel anything anymore.

That day was no different, save for what I did about it. The moment his name had returned to my mind, I had ran up to my room and slammed the door shut, tears returning within seconds. Betrayal, hurt, and regret swam through my mind as I cried and cried, longing—dreaming—that it could have gone differently. If only I had done this, and if only he had done that… it was very wishful and hopeful thinking.

My tears melted away into frustration after awhile. I was so dumb! So stupid! Because of me, the Freedom Fighters didn't have their best fighter, and now they didn't stand a chance if Eggman wanted to attack!

That day, my long hair became the victim of my anger. When it kept getting in the way of anything I did (no matter how little of a gesture it was), I found myself blaming itfor what had happened. I hadn't had long hair when there had been peace in our relationship, and since I had had it, it had made everything more difficult—both physically and mentally. Or at least, in my frustrated mood, it seemed to be evil.

It took less than a moment for me to decide on what to do.

I shot up off the floor within a second, I was standing at my vanity where my brushes and hair-holders were stored. Grabbing the brush and a hair-holder at the same time, I pulled my hair up into a tight ponytail, admiring the lovely red locks for one last moment. They were pretty, yes, but they remind me of _him, _and I didn't want that. Not anymore, at least. Silently, I opened one of the side drawers of the vanity and grabbed the silver-gray scissors.

I didn't even stop to think. With one well placed snip, the red hair was sent downwards toward the ground. It landed with a soft _shuff, _and the ponytail holder also fell from my head.

My hair was shorter than it had ever been before, and it was uneven too. I knew for a fact that when Bunnie saw it, she was going to kick my butt. But it was short again, and it didn't remind me of him. Not even. Not even a little bit.

My world was just a little bit grayer.

* * *

This one was very thought provoking for me. Hm...

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76 for reviewing! :D That taste the rainbow thing didn't even occur to me, somehow... XD

Oh, and one last thing! I won't be able to update for the next two days because I'll be away from a computer. But don't worry; I will update as soon as I can! :)


	20. Fortitude

** 20. Fortitude**

"Sal, how long am I going to be stuck in this chair?"

The moment those blue orbs met mine, I felt my stomach drop. Her eyes—careful and somewhat fearful for some reason—moved around the room as fast as I could, and they met everything in the room but me. My left eye nearly twitched in irritation, and just as I was about to lose it and scream (having no patience is AWESOME), she spoke. "Until your leg is completely healed.

My heart dropped, and my stomach suddenly had company in awe-crap-you-have-to-be-freaking-kidding-me land. "Until I'm completely healed?" She nodded quickly and quietly. "Sal, you said I _could _walk after awhile. Like... after a few weeks, or something."

Sally sighed, turning around to face the cabinets on the wall. "I know that I did, Sonic, and don't worry, you will be able to!" She exclaimed, grabbing yet another one of those awfulpackets and a bottle of water(I actually shuddered when I saw them; the moss stuff was _that _gross). "What I meant was to say was that when you get to a certain point you can walk around, but not a moment sooner. I mean…" She sighed and turned back to face me. "Do you get what I'm saying?"

Staring at her for a few moments, I shrugged and sighed. "Yeah, I guess I do. Long story short, I'm going to have to be patient about it. The cast will come off soon, but I can't over-exert myself if I want it to heal properly." I sighed again, folding my arms as I growled. "Regardless, I hate sitting around like this, Sal. You know that as well as I do."

She smirked at me and handed the packet of mossy-medicine and the water over. "Don't cry, Sonic."

I nearly snorted. "Ha! Me, crying? Sal, men like me don't cry." She nearly laughed at that, but I merely gave her a look as I unscrewed the lid off. "Fortitude is one of my _fortes_, Sal. Crying just isn't in my system."

Her eyebrows raising from surprise or amusement, I didn't know. Humming, Sally spoke. "I'm going to ignore the fact that you used both fortitude and forte correctly in that sentence, and I'm going to ask you where you learned what it means."

I laughed, "And I'm going to tell you no way."

She narrowed her eyes at me and smiled. "Is that a challenge?"

"One that you're going to fail miserably at."

Sally laughed, "You are _so _on."

Ah, how I had missed our banter…

* * *

I've returned! :D Those of you who have read Fragile should recognize this part... :)

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76 and The Dark Omega for the reviews! :D It means a lot!


	21. Vacation

** 21. Vacation**

Taking a moment to admire the gift, Sally pushed her bangs out her face for the fourteenth-billionth time. It was such a nice gift; the newest model around, to be in fact. Heck, it was a model that hadn't even been released yet! Well, to the public, at least. Since Shadow had so much money (and since he was so high up in G.U.N.), his and Amy's gift had been very… extravagant, to put it simply. Because of that, Sally was pretty sure that the gift had been Amy's idea.

Smiling once more at the gift, Sally nodded and turned around. The air was warm and the breeze was light and fluttery, providing the perfect weather for testing out their new present. Of course, that was if he was willing enough to cooperate, which Sally seriously doubted. Sonic had never been one to like… water.

And as soon as she saw him, she knew that any begging she tried would have virtually no effect on him. Even though he was already in a jammer swimming suit and a life jacket, his arms were folded and his expression itself was stubborn. Swaying his opinion would be as simple as pushing a boulder the size of Eggman up a cliff.

"Sonic, do you want to—?"

"No. No way am I going on that—" He struggled to find the right word. "_Thing._"

Sally narrowed her eyes at him. "It's called a wave-runner, Sonic."

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Sally Alicia Hedgehog I've told you once, and I'm not telling you again. I'm _not _going on that thing, and there's no way you can make me try it." Sally opened her mouth to speak, but he quickly beat her to it. "We're on vacation, Sal, and that means that I'm supposed to have fun. Do you think I would enjoy something like _that_? "

"You would enjoy yourself!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms into the air, "Think about it! It's a fast vehicle and even if you fall in, you'll have a life jacket! They can keep anyone floating; heck, even Big the Cat can—"

"Nope! Don't want to hear it!" Sonic exclaimed, pulling a hand up. "I don't want to do it, and that's that."

Sally nearly pouted, even though she always hated seeing others do it. "But Sonic…"

"No buts, Sal. I'll do something with you later, but this is where I draw the line."

Sally simply stared for a moment, sighing in defeat after a few seconds. "Fine."

Sonic's gaze became lighter, and he smirked. "Don't worry about it, Sal. We'll do something together later, okay?"

She nearly nodded. "Alright."

Sonic nodded in response as she turned around to prepare herself for the ride, and he watched her for awhile. After several seconds, it became obvious that she had believed him to have left. "Here I am, Mrs. Always-Stuck-up-and-Never-Willing-to-Try-Anything, trying to convince the most reckless being on the planet to do something fun. What on Mobius is going on? It's ridiculous! You'd think we'd have switched minds with how eager he was to say from this thing…"

Her mumbles made Sonic smirk and feel a bit guilty. It was true; it was rather odd that he wasn't doing something reckless for once and Sally was. It would have made Bunnie proud of her, and it would have made… well, everyone else laugh at him. Sonic the Hedgehog not taking up a challenge? The idea was ridiculous!

The blue hedgehog blinked as the reality of the situation took over. His pride was at stake, as well as his carefree nature. And also equally important—to Sonic's realization—was that if he didn't go, he was going to be leaving his wife to be all by herself, which made him feel even more guilty. What kind of a guy was he if he left Sally all by herself when there was anything related to H20? He _did _have a life jacket, so if he fell off, he'd be able to resurface no problem…

Finally reaching a decision, Sonic cleared his throat. "Okay Sal, it's later." He said out loud, making Sally jump and whip around in surprise. "I'll come along with you."

At first, she looked like she didn't believe him. Then when his words sunk in, she smiled. "Really?"

Sighing, the hedgehog nodded. "Yeah. Just be really—whoa!" The princess had suddenly grabbed his hand and led him to the edge of the dock where the wave-runner was bobbing in the water, cutting off his speech once again. It was obvious that they both had a terrible habit of interupting one another…

Despite this, though, Sally had understood what he had started to say. "Don't worry Sonic, you will be."

"I will be what?"

"Careful driving."

Sonic's heart skipped a beat. "Excuse me?"

Sally merely smiled. She didn't respond to his question, and she didn't give him any instruction to get on the wave-runner or start it. Only after they both resurfaced from their first wipeout did she say anything, and when she did, Sonic didn't know quite what to say. "Water you doing Sonic? You shouldn't crash like this!"

"Heaven help us Sal. You're using puns."

Sally smirked. "I learned it from you, my dear."

"Then I trained you well."

* * *

I had fun with this one. :) I like vacations! ^^ And sorry I didn't update yesterday, I got a little side-tracked.

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76 and brave kid for reviewing! And also to Yami's got game, who reviewed in chapter 4, I know that he had dark eyes, but since some of these are AU, oh well! I like him with green eyes. :)


	22. Mother Nature

** 22. Mother Nature**

There had been very few times in Sally's life when she had been totally and utterly speechless. After facing such shocking and mentally scarring situations as a child, there was little that could surprise Sally to the point of her not knowing what to say. And even in those situations where she was close, she still managed to be able to say at least something, even if it was as simple as "Wow." Usually, she could use at least one word to describe a situation…

But that wasn't counting anytime she had ever spent with Sonic. He had an impressive talent of being able to do something and leave her completely mute for minutes on end, and half the time, he did it just to get a reaction out of her. For some reason, he found a lot of amusement in teasing her, and because of it, it had become a habit that was practiced nearly every day. In fact, when Sally sat down and counted all the times, Sonic had surprised her to the point of "speechlessness" more than anything else in her life combined.

So it was needless to say that when Sonic used a chaos emerald to restore the Great Forest and Knothole, she found herself unable to even utter a single syllable. And even when she tried, she found that nothing would come. How did… how on…

It took a long time, but after several minutes of silence, she finally spoke. "Did you do this?"

He smiled in reply, and that was enough for her. She smiled and let out a breath—it almost sounded like a sob—and she let her eyes wander as they filled with tears. It was brilliant, it was marvelous, it was… perfect. Turning back to Sonic, she dashed at him and just as he closed his eyes, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. He jumped in surprise, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say either.

"Thank you, Sonic." Sally whispered, burying her head into his chest. "You have no idea how much this means to me."

A moment later, Sonic carefully wrapped his arms around her. "You're welcome, Sal." He said, his voice warm and soft. "What are friends for?"

Sally smiled again, and as they pulled away from their hug, wiping the tears from her eyes in the process. "Yeah…" And still smiling as they walked, the two left to continue their adventure.

* * *

A short one, but on that I enjoyed nevertheless. :) Another scene that readers of "Fragile" will recognize. ^^

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76 and The Dark Omega for the reviews! :D And thanks to resonably happy person 4 for adding this to your alerts. :D It means a lot!


	23. Cat

** 23. Cat**

"Hey, Blaze!" Her ears perking up at the sound of her name, Blaze turned to see Sonic jogging casually towards her, moving in-between the various party-goers and friends. As always, he was wearing that extremely perky (and somewhat irritating) grin. "Have you seen Sal? I've been looking for her for like… half an hour and I haven't seen head or tail of her."

Funny how he had said head or tail, considering that they were Mobians. "No, I haven't seen her since the party started."

Sonic sighed dramatically, then shrugged and nodded. "Alright, then. Holler if you see her!" And with that, the blue hedgehog ran off into the crowd yet again.

It was not one minute after he had left, though, that said chipmunk-squirrel hybrid ran up to Blaze, asking her the same question. "Hey Blaze, have you seen Sonic?"

The cat shrugged. Even though she _had_ watched him walk off into the crowd, she had no idea where he had gone. Being Sonic, he could have been anywhere by now… but that didn't mean that she couldn't at least point Sally in the right direction. Right? "I think he went that way." She told Sally, pointing off to where she had seen him.

"Thanks!" And with that, she ran off.

Blaze sighed and turned back to the friends she had been chatting with, but just as she was about to speak, she received a tap and the shoulder and yet another, "Hey Blaze," Oh Heaven help her. "I still can't find Sal."

Rolling her eyes, Blaze growled. "She's looking for you over there."

Sonic nodded again, "Thanks!" and ran off before Blaze could say anything else.

She took in a deep breath of relief, but as to be excepted, it simply didn't last. "Hey Blaze, he's not over there. Did he walk past here?"

Her eye nearly twitching from irritation, Blaze sighed. "Yes. He was over there, looking for you."

"Alright; thanks!"

When Sally walked off, Blaze just stood there with folded arms, waiting. And sure enough, the blue blur eventually was right by her side again, asking, "Hey Blaze, have you—gack!" But before he could even move, she grabbed his ear and held him firmly in place. "Hey, what gives?"

She didn't say anything. Instead, she simply stood there, waiting, stone-face and as still as a statue. And sure enough, after a few seconds of waiting, Sally came running back towards Blaze. "Have you—oh, there you are!"

Sonic's face lit up the moment he saw her, and without even stopping to ask if he could be released, Sonic ran at her. He escaped (as Blaze had expected) and ran up to Sally, a goofy smile on his face. "My dear Sally! I have been looking for you!"

Sally laughed, "And I have been looking for you, my blue blur!" Was Sally actually being goofy in return? From the moment she heard Sally talk, Blaze was sure that she had lost it.

"I just wanted to tell you that I love you, my chipmunky-squirrely companion."

"And I love you, my hyper hedgehog!" And with that, they shared an over-dramatic hug.

But Blaze, who had been unable to look away from the two, threw her hands up into the air and cried out, "That was all? You just wanted to hug like a couple of attention-starved geeks?"

Sonic glanced at Blaze and smirked. "You simply can't question either one of this at your point. It could be harmful for your health."

"Trust me Blaze, it's better that way. Especially since—" But before anything could be done, the two looked up, saw the mistletoe that had suddenly appeared, and laughed. As they shared a kiss, the cat walked away, growling to herself. She simply didn't get those two…

* * *

This one has been one of my favorites to write. XD It's fun writing from another person's point of view for these...

Thanks once again to ShadowEmpress76 and Thomas Holmes II for the reviews! ^^ It means a lot to me!


	24. No Time

** 24. No Time**

His mind had long ago numbed the pain and gone into auto pilot, but that still didn't mean that it stayed still. It raced far ahead of him and Sal, and even though he did his best to think straight, nothing would help keep it steady. There was adrenaline and excitement pumping through his veins, and there nothing that was going to stop it. Even the pounding pain in his leg (how many times had he broken it by now?) wasn't going to keep him from running.

Sadly, though, it was going to keep him from running _fast. _Though he was still moving rather quickly when compared to an average Mobian, Sonic was running slowly enough for Sal to keep up, and that was seriously saying something. It wasn't that she was slow, though, but rather that… well, he was used to much faster speeds. But that wasn't the point! He needed to concentrate on continuing down the hall without letting the pain subdue him.

And considering how long he had been doing it so far, Sonic wasn't doing half bad. He had been running for probably five minutes down the hall, and they were getting close to their goal… if they could just reach the generator before the countdown reached zero, then maybe they'd have another "world saving" in the bag. Of course, considering the fact that it was Eggman who had designed the labyrinth…

"It should be just ahead!" The hedgehog looked up suddenly, a door finally approaching after what must have been forever and a half. "There doesn't appear to be a lock on the door, so it should be pretty easy getting in!"

And indeed, the information Nicole had provided to Sally had been correct. There was no lock on the door, so entering was a breeze. Once in there, all they had to do was reach the generator and… as soon as Sonic saw the ladder that led up to the generator (it had to be at least ten stories worth of climbing), he growled.

"You've got to be kidding me! We don't have time for this! We've only got, like, four minutes to save the world, and Eggman has to put a ladder in here to get to the stupid generator! Like he could ever get his fat butt up there himself!" He put his hands on his head after that, growling yet again. "A freaking ladder!"

For a moment it was quiet, save for the annoyance raging in Sonic's head. If his leg was okay, it would have been a whole different story, especially since—

"Grab on." Sonic blinked once, his eyes instantly traveling to where Sally was on the ladder. She was only up a tiny bit—a single step—and she was looking back at Sonic.

He nearly continued his gawking. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Grab on!"

"Sal, there's no way you can carry me all the way up _and _get to the top in time too."

Sally sighed, "Sonic, I'm half chipmunk and half squirrel. If I can't make it in time, nobody can."

For a moment, Sonic kept his mouth open as if to argue her. Then he nodded and sighed, "Fair enough." And with that, he limped over and put his arms around her waist. "Just be quick!"

Sally simply nodded. Then with a deep breath, she started her ascent, and almost instantly afterward, Sonic found himself glancing about with an expression of surprise. He had known that Sally was a good climber, but he hadn't known that she was _this _good. The speed she was moving at would have exhausted most Mobians by now, and though he could hear her heavy breathes of exhaustion, their rising never became any slower. To be completely honest, it impressed him quite a bit…

After a little over a minute, Sally finally reached the top of the ladder, pulling herself up onto the floor with a heavy effort. She was gasping for breath and from the looks of it; she was about ready to pass out. Once Sonic was on his feet on top of the platform, Sally collapsed on the ground, panting and wheezing the entire time.

"Sal?"

She simply glanced up, her cheeks red and sweat rolling down her brow. "Yeah?"

"You're pretty amazing. Have I ever told you that?"

Sonic was sure she would have shrugged if she could have. "You could go to mention it a few more times."

"You're amazing."

She smiled an exhausted grin, and laid back on the ground as Sonic moved toward the generator.

* * *

Sonic needs to remember that no matter what, he must respect his girl. B) Sorry I didn't update yesterday, guys; I was busy fighting off zombies. The end of the world was pretty crazy.

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76 for reviewing! :D It means a lot to me!


	25. Trouble Lurking

** 25. Trouble Lurking**

"Sonic, are you absolutely sure that they're asleep?" Sally asked again, leaning back against the wall for support. "If they come in, they're going to see—"

"Sal, for the last time, they _are_ asleep! I just barely checked—not even five minutes ago!" Sonic exclaimed as he ripped a piece of tape from the roll with his teeth. "I made sure of it this time."

"And you're absolutely positive?"

Sonic rolled his eyes, placing the last piece of tape on the colorfully rapped package. "If I wasn't, I wouldn't have come out of their room yet, would I?"

Sally simply sighed, folding her arms so they rested on her larger-than-usual stomach. "No…"

Sonic stared at her for a moment, smirking after a few moments. "Sal, you're going to stress out the baby. He's going to want to know what's up with his mom, and we might end up having more than just a few toys for Christmas tomorrow…"

She huffed, "Don't even start that, Sonic the Hedgehog!" Sally snapped, "As eager as I for the baby to be born, we don't need you to jinx me. Heaven help us if he was born on Christmas day…"

His work on the last present finally finished, he pushed it away to the pile under the tree and smiled. "Wouldn't it be convenient though? We'd only have to buy him presents once a year!"

"Sonic!"

He simply laughed at her, standing up off the floor. "I was only kidding, Sal! Sheesh, calm yourself, woman!"

She cocked an eyebrow as he put his arms around her after having crossed the room. "Woman?"

"It's a term of endearment. Learn to love it, my dearest."

Gently placing her arms around his neck, she merely let out a simple "ha" and shook her head. "I already have." And ever so quietly, the two leaned in at the same time, sharing a quiet kiss. The house was quiet, and for an entire moment, there was complete and utter peace.

But the sudden jingling that sounded off in the direction of the fireplace made them jump in unison, and as they turned, their attention was instantly captured by the jolly human dressed in the red coat. He too was wearing an expression of surprise, but his was also filled with that timeless, happy, joyful quality that never ceased to make anyone smile. "Don't mind me," He then said, pulling the red sack from over his back onto the ground as he continued his work. "I'll be on my way in a few minutes…"

The two smiling once again and quietly walking to the two recliners, Sally sat down as Sonic stood there with his arms folded. As the man unloaded his sack, Sonic spoke. "How have you been, Nick?"

Sally thought about reprimanding Sonic for calling the man by such a casual name, but when he smiled that heart-warming grin in return, she over-came the urge. "It has been a good year, Sonic, especially since you got rid of those blasted Egg-bots up north. I'm not sure if I ever thanked you properly for that..."

Sonic simply swatted away at the air. "It was nothing, really! Just a few spin dashes and they were nothing but ribbons!"

Santa smiled again in response, pulling out the last of the presents and placing them under the tree. "But it was impressive, whether it was difficult for you or not."

The blue blur grinned, watching as the man slung the sack over his back again. "Like I said, it was no sweat, really. Especially since—oh wait! Hold on a sec!" And within the blink of an eye, Sonic disappeared into the kitchen, suddenly reappearing with a plate of cookies and a glass of milk. "As always; three chocolate chip cookies and a glass of good ole' two percent."

A twinkle in his eye, the man grabbed the three cookies with one quick swipe, taking a large—but somehow graceful—chug of milk at the same time. He bit into one of the cookies after he had finished his milk, smiling again as he turned towards the chimney. "Have a good night you two." He told them, nodding at the couple. "And to the trouble lurking in the hallway… have a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!"

The trouble lurking in the hallway? Both Sonic and Sally turned to see Sonia and Manic gapping, their eyes wide and filled with wonder as they saw—for the first time—the legend, Santa Claus himself.

Both Sonic and Sally were flabbergasted and ready to send the two off to bed on the spot, but when they saw their children's eyes light up as they cried, "Santa! You are real!" they simply found themselves smiling at each other instead. Seeing the joy in Sonic and Manic's eyes… it was all worth it, even if they were up past their bed-time…

* * *

Since twenty-five is the date that Christmas is on, I thought that it would be fitting for number 25 to be Christmas themed. :) This one was especially fun to write... and look, it's the 1/4 mark! :D Cool!

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76 and brave kid for reviewing! ^^ It means a lot to me, like it always does! :D


	26. Tears

** 26. Tears**

Sonic didn't cry; end of story. Close the book, leave it there, and don't open it again.

To put it simply, he didn't find any point in it, and to be completely honest, the tears themselves bugged him. The puffy red eyes, the fact that he couldn't see anything straight without having to wipe his eyes every three seconds; it just wasn't in him to do it. He had only cried a few times in his life, and from those rare occasions, he had made one conclusion: he didn't want to do it again. It was bothersome, it had no use, and most importantly, it was a sign of weakness. It was as simple as that.

Or at least, Sonic had thought that it was simple, since the few times that he had cried hadn't been so… bad? No, they had been bad, but they hadn't been so… ah, what was the word? Devastating? Miserable? Heart-wrenching?

He didn't know how to describe it. He really didn't. And neither did Sal, who somehow had also kept her eyes dry throughout the entire ordeal as well, which had honestly surprised him. Sal wasn't one to keep things in, and he knew for a fact that the whole thing had hit her hard. It had hit her _really_ hard.

And how couldn't it have? It had hit him hard too, even though he wasn't going to say anything about it. Heck, it would have brought anyone down. Especially since… they had been so far along. Four of the six months—two thirds of the way done—and suddenly, complications had occurred. Serious complications; the ones that couldn't be fixed. A spontaneous abortion—miscarriage—and the end result of it: two broken hearts and an empty nursery.

It left them both feeling empty. No, it didn't make them _feel _empty… it had left them as hollow shells, ghosts of what they once were. It left them not wanting to talk to anyone, made them want to stay in bed, made them want to close the blinds and tell the sun to get-away-and-die-in-a-hole-and-never-even-think-of-coming-back.

And no one blamed them for it. No one really blamed anyone for anything. They both understood that it hadn't been each others faults, and it hadn't been their own faults as well, but it still didn't make anything feel better. If anything, it made everything a bit… worse.

"Sal…" And after a long, Sonic began to wonder why. "Why aren't we getting any better?"

She looked back at him from the window (it had been raining), her expression nearly blank. For a moment, she wore a thoughtful expression. Then very carefully, she spoke. "Sonic, it's going to take a long time to get over it."

"Get over it, huh?" Sonic asked, sitting up out of his half-lying-down, half-sitting-up position.

Shaking her head, Sally sighed. "Not get over it. But…" Taking in a deep breath, she put her arms around herself. Even from the other side of the room, Sonic could see it. Her eyes were brimming with tears, and she wasn't letting them go. "Let time do its job."

Sonic stared at her for a long time before he sighed, sitting up out of the seat quietly. Without even saying a word, he walked over to her, her gaze far off and distant as he put his arms around her. "Sal," He whispered, "It's okay to cry."

When she looked at him, her gaze was both sad and defiant. "Is it, Sonic?"

He didn't respond. Instead, they gazed at each other, the silence saying more than any words could have. Then, very carefully, Sally brought up one arm and ever so carefully, wiped Sonic's cheek.

The hedgehog nearly jumped from the action. He hadn't even noticed—he hadn't—he shouldn't have—what? Sally didn't say anything. Instead, she nodded and finally after what must have been a million years, let the tears take her. She buried her face in his shoulder as she sobbed, and after a long period of contemplation and staring into the distance, Sonic did the same.

Sonic didn't cry, but right then, he let tears fall.

* * *

It's a rather sad one after such a happy one, but I still really liked writing this one.

Have a very Merry Christmas! :) And thanks to brave kid, Thomas Holmes II, ShadowEmpress76, and Pete Venkman for reviewing! ^^ It means a lot to me!


	27. Foreign

** 27. Foreign**

At the moment, there were three foreign things in the room. First and most obviously was Ken (although technically, it was Sonic and Sally since they were in Ken's country, but to Sonic, it didn't really matter). Second was the _awful_ food that made Sonic want to gag every time he barely even smelled it. And third—though he didn't know how "foreign" it was—was the glare that Sonic sent Ken every time he started flirting with Sally.

Or at least, every time he tried to flirt. He never got past the, "Sally, you look—" before Sonic sent him a scowl that would have had the devil skittering to—and cowering—in a corner. He quickly stopped after that, and when Sally would ask him of what he was about to say, he'd simply smile nervously and shake his head. "It's nothing, Sally! Nothing at all!"

At first, Sally had taken his odd answer without a second thought and shrugged it off. After about fourteen incidents of it occurring, though, Sally became a little suspicious. What on Mobius was causing Ken to be so… what was the word? Shaky? Afraid to speak? For quite awhile, the answer evaded her. But on one occasion, she happened to be looking at Sonic as Ken started to speak, and she saw the look that had been sent in Ken's direction.

What. A. GLARE. The look almost sent shivers down _her_ spine, and she hadn't even been the one to receive it! Despite this, Sally did her best to bite back on it and shake it off.

She didn't actually confront him about it until after they had finished dinner, once they were alone in the hall. He was wearing a far off expression when she spoke, and it took a few moments for it to wear off. "What? Sorry Sal, I didn't catch that."

Rolling her eyes as she folded her arms, Sally sighed. "Care to explain to me why you've been giving Ken the evil eye?"

Sonic merely laughed in reply and put on his, "I'm innocent, I swear!" smile. "What are you talking about, Sal?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You know very well what I'm talking about, Sonic the Hedgehog. Why have you been giving Ken the death glare every time he's started to talk to me?"

Sonic shrugged, turning around to walk off as he put his hands behind his head, his fingers intertwined. "I don't know. I've just felt like it?"

The princess growled at him, grabbing him by the arm and yanking him back so he was facing her. "I'm serious, Sonic!"

"And I'm serious too, Sal! I just felt like it, that's all."

Gritting her teeth, Sally glared at the hedgehog as he stared back at her blankly. For a moment, Sally contemplated on giving him yet another yelling session, but before she could utter a single syllable, the answer hit her and her scowl was replaced with a large smile. Sonic, a bit taken-aback by the sudden smirk, Sonic backed up, his brow furrowing at the same time. "You okay, Sal?"

Sally simply laughed in response. "You're jealous, Sonic the Hedgehog! Aren't you?"

Almost instantly after she had spoken, Sonic's face burned red. He stumbled trying to his words, "What on—you can't be—I am not jealous, Sally Alicia Acorn!"

"You are too, Sonic! Don't you try to deny it!"

He growled, "I'm not denying it, I'm just telling you that it's not true!"

"Sonic, you are a terrible liar. You know that, right?"

"Sal, I am not—"

And at that moment, Ken walked into the hall, an expression of confusion on his face. "Is everything okay in—?"

"EXCUSE ME! I am TRYING to have a conversation with MY girlfriend!"

The monkey raised his eyebrows in surprise and widened his eyes as he involuntarily backed away. "Um… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude."

Sonic didn't respond with words, but rather, continued to glare at Ken. When Sally started snickering, though, Sonic's scowl lightened and the two both turned to look at Sally. "You are _so _jealous."

Sonic opened his mouth to speak, but Ken beat him to it. "Ah, okay. Now I get it…"

The hedgehog merely growled and shook his head, taking Sally by the hand as he walked down the hall, not daring to give the monkey behind him a second thought. "Not another word, Sal. Not another word."

* * *

Hey guys! :) Sorry that I haven't updated in awhile; I've been away from any computers for a few days, so I couldn't update. XP But the next piece is here now! :D And as you can see, jealousy is something that even Sonic deals with from time to time... :)

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76, brave kid, TwilighttheWolf, and the Guest for reviewing! :) I hope you had a Merry Christmas too TwilighttheWolf, and it's okay that it bothers you, Guest. Number 26 is supposed to be sad.

Until next time!


	28. Sorrow

** 28. Sorrow**

"So Sal, what's got you so down in the dumps today?"

"Go away."

"Aw Sal, don't be like that! I just wanted to come say hi!"

"Go. Away."

"Is that a challenge?"

"How on Mobius is that supposed to be a challenge, Sonic?" Sally asked, finally looking up from Nicole's screen for the first time since he had graced her with his presence.

Shrugging, Sonic sighed as he smiled. "I don't know. I just thought that… well, knowing you, maybe it was."

She furrowed her brow at that, brushing the bangs out of her face at the same time. "Sonic, when was the last time I ever…" Sighing, Sally shook her head. "You know what? Never mind. I'm not even going to ask. If I ignore you long enough, you're bound to go away."

Sonic let out a "ha" and sat down next to her on the log she had long since been acquainted with. "That's not how I work, Sal. If it was that easy, I wouldn't be on Shadow's 'friend' list on Facebook."

Since when did Sonic have time to get on his Facebook? Before she had the chance to ask him, Sonic sighed a heavy breath. "I'm not going to leave until you tell me what's got you so down."

"And I'm not going to tell you what's wrong until you leave."

"Sal, that doesn't make any sense."

She huffed rolling her eyes yet again, "Let me be the nonsense one for once. I don't always need a reason for being the way I am."

"That's what I keep telling you, Sal!" Sonic exclaimed, "Why can it apply to you, but not to me? That's not very fair, Sal." She opened her mouth to speak, but he quickly took the opportunity yet again. "Don't tell me that you're trying to establish an encouraged form of male sexism! That just wouldn't be fair! I don't want to spend all day in the kitchen, because I'm not that good at making sandwiches! Okay, I'm not bad, but still. You're better. And no, that isn't because you're a girl, it's just because you are. You're really good at making sandwiches."

Sally found herself staring at him, not knowing what to say. What on Mobius…?

"Oh, right. Did I mention that I accidentally took one of those four hour energy things today?"

"Accidentally?"

Sonic shrugged, "Accidentally on purpose. Course, I really don't know why it's bugging me, since you and I both know that I've got more ADHD in me than fifty squirrels in a room filled with disco-balls, glitter, and vampires."

The weirdness of his sentence (and his mood overall) made Sally's bad mood melt away, instantly replacing any sorrow with giggles instead. She laughed at him until he raised an eyebrow and smirked, asking, "You okay?"

Nodding, Sally grinned back at him. "Yeah, I guess I am."

* * *

Sometimes, Sally doesn't know when to shut up. And sometimes, Sonic doesn't either. The only difference is that with Sonic... well, it's Sonic. Enough said.

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76, brave kid, and Guest for reviewing! ^^ And thanks to Bakudah for adding this to your alerts! It means a lot to me! :D


	29. Happiness

** 29. Happiness**

She was happy, excited, and nervous all at once (but mostly nervous), and if she wanted to put it simply, she could have just called it nausea. But being who she was, Sally had to take the "road less traveled" to make her point, and as always, it made everyone around her, well, roll their eyes.

"Sally, I understand that you're nervous, but you need to calm down. Everything's going to be just fine! Sonic is going to be happy about it, I promise!" Alicia told her as Sally paced back and forth across the span of her room.

As Bunnie stood off to the side, rolling her eyes with folded arms, Sally simply continued to freak-out out loud. "But what if he isn't, mom? We've only been married for a few months, and… this is Sonic we're talking about! The Hero of Mobius, fastest thing alive, the icon of freedom and liberty? He'll be—he will—what if he leaves?—I can't—ugh! I just don't know what to do!"

Alicia and Bunnie exchanged a worried glance, and a confused Alicia mouthed, "Icon of freedom?" in confusion as Sally ran her hands through her hair, growling and murmuring the entire time. Bunnie merely shrugged in response, and the two looked back at Sally once again.

"What if he… oh, what if he doesn't want to… what if he's not ready? Or what if he blames it on me? Agh! I just can't take this pressure!" And very abruptly, Sally turned to face both Bunnie and her mother. "What am I supposed to do?" The two opened their mouth, but Sally continued to pace and talk to herself before they could actually offer any advice.

Sighing, Bunnie shook her head. As much as she loved her friend, she simply didn't get her sometime. Especially since—her thought was suddenly interrupted at the near inaudible sound of someone shuffling outside next to the door. She was the only one who caught on to it, and from the very first moment she heard it, she recognized who it was. Sonic was directly outside with ear pressed to the door in an attempt to catch in on their conversation.

Bunnie's surprised expression caught Alicia's attention, and when their eyes met, Alicia mouthed another question. "What…?" Bunnie quickly put a finger to her lips, motioning with her eyes towards the door. Just as silently as the queen had, Bunnie mouthed back to the queen.

"Sonic."

Alicia simply nodded in response, and with that, the two turned back to look at the princess, who was still doing an excellent job of running the carpet into oblivion.

"I mean, seriously! How exactly am I going to tell him? 'Hey Sonic, guess what? I'm pregnant! Yeah, I know we've been married for only a few months, but hey, these things happen!'"

And then from the hall, the three ladies heard a very surprised voice cry out, "Pregnant?" Which was quickly followed by a loud bang and an even louder, "Ow!"

Almost instantly, Sally's face fell and her eyes grew wide. Without another word, she headed toward the door and flung it open. And as she had expected, there was Sonic on the floor, holding his head as he moaned to himself. "That… was dumb."

Sally swallowed the moment her eyes met him, and carefully, she spoke. "Sonic?"

The blue hedgehog looked up at Sally, his expression suddenly very soft. "Hey, Sal."

Silence enveloped the two after that, and when it continued to stay quiet for several moments, Bunnie and Alicia exchanged another glance. Were they… going to talk? Eventually, Sally offered her hand to Sonic and helped him onto his feet, where they both stayed quiet until finally, the princess spoke again.

"So, uh… did you happen to hear all that?"

Sonic nodded quietly and quickly. "Yeah. It was kinda hard not to."

Sally nodded in response. "So…" She then sighed a heavy breath, "What do you think of the whole… situation?"

The hedgehog took in a deep breath, glancing off to the side for a moment. "Surprised, honestly, and a little bit worried too. But…" Taking a moment to think it over, Sonic smiled and looked at her in the eye, carefully grabbing her hands. "Happy."

If there could have been anything better for him to say, neither Bunnie nor Alicia would have ever known what it was. Sally smiled a huge grin in response to his words, and without a second thought, she cried out happily, "Sonic!" and wrapped her arms around him. He jumped in surprise, but he quickly returned the embrace, a smile still on his face too. "I'm so glad that you're okay with it, Sonic."

"Okay with it?" Backing up a bit, Sonic looked Sally in the eye. "Sal, why on Mobius wouldn't I be 'okay' with it?"

The princess stared for a moment before shrugging. "I don't know. I guess I just thought that… I assumed… well, I don't know."

Sonic merely rolled his eyes at his wife before pulling her into another hug, and for a long time, the two stood there, enjoying each other's presence.

The queen and Bunnie however, still hadn't exactly finished their business. Once the two had wrapped their arms around one another again, the queen leaned towards Bunnie and whispered, "He didn't pass out. I do believe that you owe me ten rings."

Bunnie's ears flopped down, and she growled. The queen laughed in reply, and the happy couple walked off down the hallway, discussing plans for the not-so-far-off future.

* * *

I really liked this one. :) It was fun to write! ^^ I especially liked the part with the queen and Bunnie. :D

Thanks to Thomas Holmes II, ShadowEmpress76, brave kid, and the Guest. And to the Guest; I'm doing my very best to work on Glass Rose and Fragile. I haven't had much time lately to do it, but I'll do my best to work on them soon! And just a question; are you the same Guest who has been reviewing for the past few times?

Happy New Year, and I'll see you guys soon! ^^


	30. Under the Rain

** 30. Under the Rain**

Her arms wrapped around herself and her body shaking from the cold, Sally was only just able to blurt out a few words, "I th-thought you hated water, Sonic. Why on Mobius—"

"Was I so eager to go outside? Am I quite literally singing in the rain? By this point in time, Sal, you should realize that being who I am, I will always be full of surprises like this. I'm a bit flabbergasted that you need to be reminded of this."

Sally raised her eyebrows. "Flabbergasted?"

Sonic rolled his eyes, "Yes, Sal, flabbergasted. I like using big words like that sometimes." He told her, taking Nicole from her pocket before she could blink. "And sometimes, I like to dance in the rain. Nicole, do you still have that dance playlist I saved?"

As Nicole's nanite form started to pull itself together, Sally cried out in surprise. "When did you—how did you get Nicole away from me?"

Sonic didn't answer her. Instead, it was Nicole who spoke (who was now in her full nanite form). "Of course I do! Which song do you want?"

Sally opened her mouth again to protest, but being the fastest thing alive, it was only natural for Sonic to beat her to it. "Track fourteen, please." And before Sally could say anything else, Sonic was by her side, taking her by both hands. "Would you mind honoring me with this dance?"

He had moved so fast that she barely even had the chance to blink once. "Sure…?" The hedgehog smiled at that, and as soon as he did, Sally knew that she was really in for it. She quickly opened her mouth in an attempt to voice her change of mind, but before she could even get a single word in, she found herself being swung around as Sonic laughed.

And at first, their dancing felt like nothing but chaotic puddle jumping, and Sally did everything should could to stop it. "Sonic, what are you—AH! What—I can't keep up—stop, stop, STOP! AHHH!"

But after she had been spun around for several minutes, she began to see—see? Recognize? Learn? Whatever—and feel that something that she always happened to miss. It was that something that she always saw shining in Sonic's eyes, and (secretly) that thing that she was always jealous of him for. That joy for the simple things in life, that elation for something as silly as rain; that one thing she loved so much about him.

"Come on, Sal! Just dance!"

Smiling at his words, Sally finally let out a laugh and let herself go for what felt like the first time in forever. She spun around with him in crazy circles, jumped with him so the puddle splashes soaked them both, and laughed and sang along with the song like there was no tomorrow. And at one point, she got laughing so hard that she was graced with the hiccups, which made them laugh even harder as a result.

After dancing for about seven songs, a slower tune played, and their crazy leaping died down into a much calmer step-and-shift. Sonic and Sally's energy had diminished considerably, and to Sally's pleasant surprise, the cold that had taken her prisoner earlier had disappeared completely. She was exhausted, true, but in a way, she had never felt more alive. Well, almost never…

"Sal," she nearly jumped when Sonic rested his forehead against hers, "Did you enjoy yourself?"

The question had pulled her from her daze so suddenly that she barely had time to respond. "Yes," She finally found an answer, though, and she shared it with a smile. "I did."

Sonic smiled again in response, and as she had been expecting, he learned in for a kiss (which she gladly accepted and returned). As they shared the moment under the rain, the artificial lynx cooed and ever so sneakily, changed the song to a romantic classic, which made the two laugh again.

* * *

Sorry for the random disappearance. School-work caught up, but I got an update here today! :D

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76, brave kid, and gravitational for reviewing! And to gravitational; that's pretty neat! I'll do my best to work on those two and get an update up soon!

See you next time!


	31. Flowers

** 31. Flowers**

He never listened. He never ever listened, and it drove her insane; it drove her absolutely bonkers. She was so incredibly mad about it that she wanted to throw something out the window. She wanted to bang her head against the wall until unconsciousness graced her and she was left with a headache so malicious that she couldn't see straight for months; or maybe something even worse. As long as she didn't have to look at him, anything—any activity at all—was fine with her.

How could have messed up something so simple—so plainly obvious that even a plant could have done it? How? HOW? It boggled her, and it made her mad. Okay, okay, furious. She was absolutely livid about it, but she knew better than to yell at him for it.

Instead, she had been playing the "quiet game" with him for hours after the incident. He in return had done the same, mostly because… well, he was rather mad at her too. According to him, it had been "her fault too," but because she refused to agree, they were both stuck in a stalemate. He refused to talk to her, and she refused to talk to him. End of story.

Or at least, Sally thought it was "end of story," had been absolutely sure of it. She hadn't been expecting Sonic to come home from his angry run early, much less with a bundle of flowers, and she definitely hadn't been expecting him to actually give it to her.

And when she read the card that she had attached to it, she hadn't been expecting… any of it, really. _Roses are red and quite overrated, and you (by me) will never be hated. _And on the back, it read, _Yeah, I'm no good at poetry. But I got you your favorite flowers, just to prove to you that I can listen once in awhile. _

Bluebells. Ah, how she loved Bluebells.

Taking a moment to take in their scent, Sonic ever so carefully began to twirl her hair around his finger. He took in a deep breath, and after several long moments of silence, he spoke. "I'm sorry, Sal…"

Carefully, she nodded in response, taking in a deep breath as she turned to him. "I'm sorry, too. I was… wrong."

Though the hedgehog didn't smile, it was obvious that his mood had lightened. He stood up a little straighter as he spoke, and he held himself a little higher as well. "I accept your apology."

"And I accept yours."

And with that, the two continued with their day, their hearts both a bit lighter.

* * *

Sorry for the super late update. School has been brutal... thanks to brave kid and ShadowEmpress76 for reviewing! :D

Every couple fights, especially these two. Once in awhile, though, they figure out how to swallow their pride and admit that they're wrong...


	32. Night

** 32. Night**

As the blue hedgehog raced the night—the full moon shining overhead, providing just enough light for him to find his way—his heart flew far ahead of him. A smile unlike any other had graced his face long ago and refused to leave as he dashed through the forest, and as it always was tradition, his spirit was sky-high. Excitement, euphoria, pure and untainted happiness; it was all coursing through his veins. Each time his heart beat—_ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump_—his spirit was lifted a tad higher, he sped up a bit more, and his smile grew a smidge bigger. He was excited, animated, energized, and oh so eager to reach his goal; he simply couldn't stop himself from going any faster.

And really, how couldn't he? She had no idea that he was okay, and he was beyond excited to tell her. Even more important than that, though, was that with every step, he was one step closer to her. One step closer to being able to put his arms around her and tell her that everything was okay, and that it was always going to be okay. They wouldn't be separated again. Never again… never, never, never.

It must have been an eternity and a half before he finally reached the village and slowed to a stop, and it _must _have been at least a thousand years before he found her and when he saw her, his heart skipped a beat. She was sitting on the dock, her feet hanging silently over the Lake of Rings as she stared up at the moon. Her body was as still as still could be, and though he couldn't see it, he was sure that she a melancholic expression glued to her face (and honestly, he didn't blame her).

An uncontainable grin found its way onto his face as he began walking towards her. She never changed. She was always worrying, always thinking, and always pushing herself too hard, and the thought for some reason almost made him laugh. Knowing Sal, she never was going to change, and Sonic was sure of that. She was who she was, and she was a worry-wart. Sal was someone who got on your last nerve and bugged you until you did everything right, someone who nagged you until you wanted to pull your hair out, someone who never could—for even one second—stop worrying long enough to enjoy life.

She was bossy, she was uptight, and sometimes, she was flat out rude. But to be totally and completely honest, that was what he loved about her. Though he found it annoying at times, she always pushed him to try a little bit harder—to do his best—and to always go the extra mile. She reminded him that there was always someone who was looking out for him, someone thinking about him, and ultimately, he knew that she loved him. Otherwise, how could she have ever stood him?

A soft smile on his face and his arms folded, Sonic stopped right as he was about to step onto the dock. Ever so carefully, he called out to her. "Hey Sal," And instantly after he had spoke, her head whipped around toward him. "Why so quiet?"

Her eyes were wide as she stared at him, and for a long time, she was quiet. But eventually she opened her mouth and whispered in disbelief, "S—Sonic?"

Sonic simply smiled back at her and nodded, but her eyes were still wide in disbelief. Always a worry-wart, Sally was…

* * *

Sorry for the late update! I've had an insane week, and only now have I been able to get to a computer long enough to update... hopefully, tomorrows will be when I get the next one up. :)

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76 and brave kid for reviewing! :D It means a lot to me! ^^ And thanks to all my silent reader out there too! :D


	33. Expectations

** 33. Expectations**

For awhile, Sonic simply didn't know what to say. The angry—no, furious—look on Sally's face already said a million things (with about six hundred and ninety-two thousand, four-hundred and sixteen of which were not nice), and Sonic was sure that if he even tried to speak, he was going to get smacked over the head. Hard. And with that mean look already being gifted to him, he wasn't completely sure if he wanted to add to the guilt trip that was she doing such a good job of giving him.

But what would he have been if he didn't at least try? He wouldn't have been Sonic the Hedgehog, and that was for sure. So taking in a deep breath, Sonic sighed. "Sal, I—" and was promptly slapped across the face.

Stars danced across his vision and the breath was knocked clean from his lungs, but he did his best to speak regardless. "Okay, I admit, I kinda deserved that."

Sally hissed, "Kinda?"

Cringing back at the pure malice in that one word, Sonic swallowed. His eyes darted across the room as he spoke. "Yeah… Okay, so I deserved it. A lot."

"You're darn right you deserved it."

Holy crap, it was getting awkward (not that it hadn't been before he had started speaking), and boy, did Sonic want to fix it. Taking in another deep breath, he looked off to the side. "Sal, I know you're mad, but—"

"But what? You thought it was fine to team up with—with _him_?" Sally exclaimed, her voice becoming hoarse. "And without a second of consideration, Sonic? You hadn't heard from any of the Freedom Fighters in years—years for crying out loud!—and at the first chance you get, the very first time you've heard from any of them, you decide to go along with his plan? Sonic the Hedgehog, there were people killed! Actual Mobians died during the raid! Do you honestly think any amount of justification was going to erase that?"

Sonic's eyes widened as soon as she had finished talking, and for an entire moment, his heart stopped. Died? There had been Mobians that had died—Mobians that had been _killed_? His stomach performed a very unnatural flip at that tidbit of information, and he felt like throwing up. Suddenly, the world was spinning and his vision was beginning to become a bit darker…

And unfortunately, when he didn't respond instantly to Sally's question, she lost her patience. "Well did you?!"

In an instant, he himself lost his patience and as a result, he lashed out. "I had no idea, Sal!" He cried out, making her suddenly shrink back in her spot. "I was just trying to help, you know, use my head for once! But it obviously didn't make a bit of difference, did it? If anything, it made it worse!" His voice almost as hoarse as hers, he swallowed yet again. "I just was trying to… I wanted to… ugh! Darn it! This is why I don't use my head!"

And with that, he put his hands on his head, gritting his teeth in the process, a headache very slowly beginning to grace his presence with it. He was frustrated and tired and sick of any "smart idea" blowing up in his face and he hated that no matter what he was always such an idiot and he just wanted to—

"Sonic, it was a good idea."

Sighing, Sonic shook his head. "You're just saying that, Sal."

She sighed after he did, she spoke yet again. "It was clever, I'll give you that, but you could have—"

"Thought through it a bit more? Tried harder? Sal, that was the most effort that I've ever put into a plan. I don't know if I _can_ do any better." He took his hands off his head after that, looking up at her after what must have been forever. "I don't have any excuse for…" He struggled to find the right word. "Fatalities."

The girl was staring right at him, and though he could tell that she was still mad, her gaze had definitely softened. And when she spoke, her voice had also become significantly kinder. "You're not perfect though, Sonic. You're bound to make mistakes."

Sarcastically, he grumbled. "Thanks, Sal."

"You don't get what I'm saying, Sonic. I'm just saying that… it's okay that you did. I mean, it's not okay that people died, but it's not like any of my plans back in Robotropolis were fool-proof. We lost Freedom Fighters on almost every mission." She told him, glancing off to the side. "Besides… it's not like you have any expectations to break. Everybody already looks up to you, you know?"

Though his tone was even and it looked as if he was still frowning, the corner of Sonic's lips twitched up. "Yeah… I do." It was funny that he forgot how Sal usually knew what she was talking about…

* * *

Another late update... I'll do my best to break this habit! I promise!

But in the mean-time, thanks to ShadowEmpress76, brave kid, and Thomas Holmes II for reviewing! ^^ It means a lot to me!

And you know what's kinda cool but also sad? Watching one of your computer monitors spark and smoke itself to death.


	34. Stars

** 34. Stars**

"So let me get this straight…" The thirteen year old hedgehog sighed, his hands resting behind his head, his fingers intertwined as he stared up at the night-time sky. "I can see about… three thousand stars right now from where we're sitting, and that's just with my eyes alone?"

Sally nodded, though he couldn't see the action. "Yep."

"But there are billions of other stars out there that I can't see because they're so far away, right?"

"Ah huh. They're so far away, even you wouldn't be able to reach them in your life-time." Sally told him, glancing once at Nicole's screen before looking back at her friend, then back at the sky once again. "Crazy, huh?"

Sonic merely huffed, "They can't really be _that _far away."

"Well they are." Sally said, taking in deep breath, "We don't have anything fast enough that could ever reach them. In fact, even with all the technology in the world, we'd never be able to reach the stars. We'd die long before we'd get there…"

Letting out a simple "ha," the hedgehog merely smirked. "You don't have to be so depressing, Sal."

"Well it's true! They're just… it's just not possible for us to ever do it, Sonic. It would take thousands of years—maybe longer—for us to even come close to that kind of technology, and even then, we'd always be a bit too far away." Shaking her head in her spot, the girl folded her arms. "It's just not likely that we'd ever be able to do something like that because it's—"

"Impossible? You know Sal, that word doesn't work well with me."

Her ears flopping down, Sal sighed. "I know."

"Just think about it…" He whispered as he pulled one hand out from behind his head, slowly rising it above himself and toward the sky. "They said it was impossible for someone like me to run so fast, and they said it was impossible that we'd ever be a threat to Robotnik. To Robotnik, Sal—the most powerful man in the world! He's scared of us, a bunch of kids! And not to mention, we've time traveled for Heaven's sakes! That's got to count for something, right?"

An unmistakable grin over-coming him, Sonic laughed as he reached his hand out and wrapped it around the brightest star he could see. "I've beat the odds thousands of times, Sal, so what's reaching the stars to me? I'll tell you what it is, Sal. It's a challenge I'm willing to accept, and one I'll take head on."

Smirking, Sally shook her head and giggled to herself. "Knowing you, you'll probably find a way to do it too. Just do me one favor though, okay?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"Make sure you take me with you."

Sonic merely smiled at that and laughed. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Sal."

* * *

Took awhile to get this update here, but I finally did it! :D Next time, the update will hopefully be sooner. My crazy days are almost done... :)

Thanks to brave kid and ShadowEmpress76 for the reviews! XD I really do appreciate them! They mean a lot to me!


	35. Hold My Hand

** 35. Hold My Hand**

As he laid there staring at the lights above him, listening to the preparation of the doctors around him—the clinking of the scalpels and other metal instruments—Sonic felt an odd calmness over-come him. It wasn't really something he could explain or even something he understood, but it was something that he was grateful for at the moment. Although it wasn't exactly a completely peaceful state of mind, it was enough to keep him from going insane.

But despite all this he still knew that it was going to hurt, and that it was going to hurt _a lot_ too. He didn't know how much, but to be totally honest, he didn't really want to go through with it. Even though the idea of the surgery didn't scare him, the idea of the pain… it wasn't very pleasing to him, to put it simply. He still remembered with crystal clear clarity how horrible it had felt to lose his arm, and if the surgery was going to be anything like it... the very thought made him shutter and cringe.

Okay, so maybe he was a little scared, just a bit. Or a lot. But that didn't really matter, did it? Of course it didn't, because he was Sonic the Hedgehog, and Sonic the Hedgehog didn't get scared. Not ever. Even when he was "scared," he wasn't really scared. He was just shaken up, a bit nervous, and sort of anxious, but not scared; not one bit. He was brave. He was courageous. He was fearless. And it was all because he was Sonic the—

The second her fingers wrapped around his wrist, his heart nearly stopped and he forgot how to breathe. He looked up at her without a second thought, and the moment his eyes met hers, he felt… different. Not quite at peace, not totally even-minded, but… reassured. Like he knew that no matter what it was going to be okay in the end and that even if it was going to hurt, he was going to be a stronger person in the end.

And somehow, beyond her own nerves and his, Sally knew it too. "It's going to be okay, I promise. By the time you get out of this surgery, you're going to have a brand new arm. It's not going to be perfect since it will be made of metal, but hey, you'll be able to do a handstand just like you said you'd do the moment you've got that new arm! Right?"

Even though tears were running down her cheeks and her face was hidden behind her surgical mask (though at the moment, hers was more for purely sanitary reasons), the hedgehog felt comforted by her words. He felt safer knowing that she was going to be there by his side, and he knew that—thanks to her—everything was going to okay.

So without saying a word, he nodded at her and smiled a soft grin, his heart settling as he she held his hand.

* * *

This one takes place in the same universe as number 12 and 17. So far, that one is one of my favorites to write about...

Thanks again to ShadowEmpress76 and brave kid for the reviews! :D And thanks to all my silent readers, new alerts, and new favorites! ^^ You guys rock!


	36. Precious Treasure

** 36. Precious Treasure**

"It's your turn to get her."

"No it's your turn to get her, I did it last time."

"I did it the first two times before that."

"I did it every time she cried last night, you do it."

"Why should I?"

"I don't have to explain what I'll do if you don't go right now, Sonic the Hedgehog."

"Sal—"

"Just go."

Taking in a deep breath and gathering as much energy as he possibly could, Sonic sighed dramatically. "Fine," He said, sitting up, yawning, and stretching as he mumbled to himself and to Sally as well. "But you owe me for this."

She merely swatted him away blindly, "Sure, sure, whatever you say…" And within seconds, she was asleep yet again, leaving alone Sonic as he rolled his eyes and stood up.

The stroll to the room down the hall ended promptly when he walked through the doorway and into the domain of the crying child. His brow furrowed as soon as he entered, and within moments, he was covering his ears. How on Mobius did something so little make so much sound? Gritting his teeth together, the hedgehog made his way to the cradle, hoping desperately that she didn't need another diaper change. That was honestly the last thing he needed at two in the morning.

His pessimistic thoughts ruled his mind, but once he was by the side of the cradle looking down at her, his gaze softened and his heart-beat slowed. He often had forgotten how little she really was, and how fragile she must have been as well. Even for a baby, she was probably more breakable than most children her age, right? Or maybe it was just the fact that he was her father that made him worry so much…

His heart skipping a beat at the thought, Sonic swallowed. How mind boggling it still was to think that the little child before him—the beautiful baby—was Sal's and his. She was his little masterpiece, his little piece of heaven, his perfection. No matter what anybody else ever said, she was his. And she was perfect. Soft brown fur, a tuft of blue hair, and his eyes—his green eyes; she really was his daughter.

The very thought over-taking him and a smile gracing his lips, Sonic gently moved his hand toward her, brushing a few bangs out her face. She jumped suddenly at his touch, opening her eyes to find the source of comfort. A few moments were spent searching the room before her eyes found her father's, and soon after, that adorable toothless smile graced her face.

It left his heart without several thousand beats, and it sent his spirit flying. He was frozen in his spot for almost forever, smiling down at her before it occurred to her that she was reaching out to him—_hold me daddy, hold me! _

And without a moment's hesitation, he gently reached down and picked her up, supporting her neck as he began to sing to her; a song his mother had sung to him long ago. The little girl laughed and cooed along with him, grabbing his finger when he offered it to her, and giggling ever so often in the song.

And from their room, Sally laid listening to the baby monitor, smiling at the sound of her two most precious treasures—her two greatest loves.

* * *

Love is a wonderful thing... *dramatic and dreamy sigh.* And hey, look! It only took me one day to update this time! :D Yay!

Anyway, thanks to everyone who has adding this to your favorites and follows lately! :D I'm really glad to see that you guys are liking this series! ^^ And thanks especially to Thomas Holmes II, ShadowEmpress76, brave kid, The Mirror's Wish, and Parker 117 for your reviews! :D

To Thomas Holmes II; yes, there is going to be another installment with Mecha Sally soon. :) To ShadowEmpress76; I would love to hear another story of yours! ^^ And to Parker 117; thanks for reviewing all those other stories of mine too! It means a lot to me!

Until next time!


	37. Eyes

** 37. Eyes**

The blue hedgehog worked silently and carefully, not even sparing a single syllable to ask her to stop holding her arm, or sit up a bit straighter, or even raise her chin when he needed her to. All he had to do was let his arm travel towards the respective cut, bruise, or wound, and she instantly did as he would have instructed, letting him either wrap it in a bandage, or heal it with a quick chaos incantation. He never thanked her for the quiet obedience, and she never said anything about it either, mostly because of two things.

Firstly, her throat was sore and as dry as dry could be, and she was sure that if she spoke more than a few syllables at a time, she was going to choke on her own tongue. And secondly (and most important), she could tell—just from that far off glare—that he was _not _happy.

She didn't blame him for it one bit, of course, since… well, it was sort of was her fault. Okay, so it was totally her fault, but hey, it wasn't like he hadn't put her in that exact position before! Sonic was reckless all the time and he never got this kind of "punishment," so why was it okay for him to give her the guilt-slash-silent treatment the one time she tried something anything? And hey, when she sat down and thought about it, she hadn't even done anything that crazy! Well, maybe it had been a bit insane (she sort of had to be to enter Eggman's base without Sonic's help), but she had found one of the emeralds, right? Right?

Justification did little for an angry hedgehog though, and knowing that, Sally sighed. The action did more harm than good, though, and she found herself coughing a few seconds later, her ribs and lungs burning each time she hacked.

Though the fit didn't last long, it left her shaking and feeling worse off than when she had began, which was seriously saying something. She felt like passing out on the spot, and if it hadn't been for the drink Sonic had offered her at that moment (where had he got that, anyway?), she probably would have.

She took long gulps from it, her throat being flooded with a cool soothing touch that instantly relieved the dryness. Once she had downed the contents of the cup, she placed it carefully on the ground next to her, looking up at the hedgehog with a very cautious gaze. The instant she met his eyes, she cringed.

The look in his eyes wasn't particularly malicious or mad, but rather… stormy. There was something raging in those emerald greens—maybe anger or sadness, or something else she couldn't quite put a finger on—that scared her. It wasn't a look that he shared often, but when she saw it, she knew that she was in for it. Sonic wasn't one to lecture, but when he did… boy, it made even Sally's rage seem like a walk in the park.

So, hoping that she could find a way to avoid it, Sally swallowed once again, glancing off to the side as she spoke. "Are… are you mad?"

He didn't speak for a long time. When he did though, he sighed a heavy breath, shaking his head before he hugged her tightly. Rather than answering her question, though, he whispered quietly to her, "Don't you ever even think of scaring me like that again, Sal."

She didn't know what to say, so instead of speaking, she simply hugged him as tightly as she could. To be completely honest, she wasn't exactly against breaking that promise…

* * *

Sonic may be reckless, but that doesn't mean that he likes it when Sal is...

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76, brave kid, Thomas Holmes II, and Parker 117 once again for the reviews! :) I'm glad you guys liked that last one! ^^ That one was one of my personal favorites...


	38. Abandoned

** 38. Abandoned **

Taking in another heavy labored breath, Sonic gritted his teeth and glared at the figure before him. "Come on, Sal…" He spoke, holding his arm (which he honestly couldn't feel anymore) in pain as he began to gradually back away. "Just fight him! You can do it, I know you can!"

The Robian huffed, her blue eyes rigidly cold as she aimed one of her elbow-energy-blades at the hedgehog once again. "How many times do I have to tell you—" She scoffed, taking yet another swing at the hedgehog, nearly laughing as the blade sliced a thin line of blood across his stomach, despite his avoidance maneuver. "I have nothing to fight other than you."

As Sonic stumbled back, his stomach stinging from the bite of the energy blade, he bit down on his tongue, nearly growling as he stared—glared—at Mecha Sally. "Sal, you're stronger—better—than this."

Her eyes dark and far-off, Mecha Sally raised the blade again. For an entire moment, it was utterly silent, and not a word was spoken. Then after what must have been forever, she spoke. "Goodbye, Sonic." And with that, she lunged at him.

She must have forgotten that he was the "Fastest Thing Alive," for he was able to narrowly avoid her attack with a quick jump to the left. The technique made her lose her balance as a result and she stumbled forward for a few moments before regained it just before she was about to hit the wall. When she turned to face him, she was met with quite the shock.

Though she had heard it before she saw it, she didn't completely register it until her eyes met the glass walls that were suddenly surrounding both her and Sonic. How on—how did—those sneaky little—suddenly, Sonic laughed. "Yes! I can't believe that worked!" Spinning on the dime, she scowled at the hedgehog as he spoke. "Turn it on!"

Growling, the Robian took a step towards him, ready to strike him until it hit her; if she spent her time beating him, he was still going to win. She needed to get out, and fast. Without another thought, Mecha Sally turned toward the glass, flying at it as fast as her boosters would allow. With one powerful punch she sent a tiny crack up and down the wall, making Sonic gasp.

She spent only a moment analyzing the fracture, calculating her next move before she pulled her arm back again. It would only take one more hit to shatter it, and after she had accomplished that, she'd—

"Oh no you don't!" A pair of surprisingly strong arms suddenly pulled her back, causing her already irritated state of mind to become even less stable. What on Mobius was his problem; didn't he ever give up? What an idiot! He was going to wish he had never even tried containing her.

So with that thought in mind, she fought back. She fought him with everything she had, every bit of power stored in her systems, every fiber of her being, every system in her body, but somehow, it simply wasn't enough. He was still stronger and faster, and no matter how hard she tried, she could never get at least somewhat of an advantage over him, and it boggled her. How on Mobius did he still have the energy to hold her down, even for the last few seconds of the machine charging?

Through gritted teeth she heard him yell, cutting off her train of thought once again. "Do it now, Tails! I can't hold her down much longer!"

She hissed at him as the voice of the young boy echoed from above. "I'm trying! It's still powering up!"

"Well, speed it up! I can't hold her forever!"

The roboticized princess hissed in her fury as the fox boy spoke again. "It's just about ready, Sonic! Just one more second!"

One second? The enraged Robian nearly cried out, pulling her arms harder and harder in a desperate attempt to free herself. She couldn't lose, couldn't fail, couldn't—for some reason, she found herself glancing back at the hedgehog. He too was fighting as hard as he could, using everything he had—and probably more—to hold her in place.

It hit her right then; that it was his fault. It was his fault that she was going to fail her mission. Her mission, the only thing driving her forward, her orders; _his fault, his fault, his fault_—

Less than a nano-second was used for the calculation, and even less time was used for the execution. With one swift, unforgiving move, the energy blade was sent backwards directly into the hedgehog's chest, cutting off both his breath and for an entire second, his movements. He gasped, and his eyes took on a very empty, nearly abandoned glassy look before he gritted his teeth and with what must have the last of his energy, held onto her.

"You're… not getting away from me that easily, Sal."

The Robian's eyes grew wide (if that was even possible), but before anything else could be done, a monotone voice boomed throughout the room. "Deroboticization and roboticization reversal processes initiated. Please wait."

She gasped and struggled even harder, but the grip of the dead-on-his-feet hedgehog that held her with was stronger than steel. As the lights and the whirs of the machine began to fill the room, the hedgehog spoke once more. His voice was nearly gone and spent, but it was still barely audible despite everything.

"Just do me one favor, Sal. Don't forget me, okay?"

If it hadn't been for the machine turning on at that very second, she would have responded, but she didn't even have the chance to fit a single syllable in. The lights flashed, the energy of the machine swirled around them, and for an entire moment, everything burned—and then it was over.

In Mecha Sally's place stood a teenage girl of flesh, fur, and bones, gasping as her eyes searched the place. He… had… Sonic had done it! She was free! She could finally think, breath, feel again!

But she was exhausted, and judging by the fact that he too fell with her when she collapsed, he must have been too. She breathed heavy gasps as sat there on the ground, spending only a few moments examining her body (which she was happy to find in the same exact condition other than a new outfit) before looking back at Sonic. "You did—"

Her words froze in her throat the moment she saw him, and instantly, her heart skipped a million beats. In Sonic's place was a still blue Robian with a gaping hole in its chest, a mixture of blood and oil staining the metal and causing Sally to shiver. Its eyes were blank and lifeless, and its body stayed unnaturally still as Sally stared at it. No, not it, _him. _

The moment it sunk in, Sally gasped and covered her mouth. "Sonic!" Tears began to grace her, and without another word or thought, she threw her arms around his unmoving form. Even though the memory was hazy from the motherboard-to-brain switch, she knew for a fact that it was her fault. _Her fault, her fault, her fault…_

"Sonic, Sonic!" The sound of Tails's voice did nothing to move her, but it did make her already broken heart drop even further. "Did it work? Is she—?"

The sound of his gasp did more than any words could have, and they only strengthened her cries. How could anyone… how would… why… oh, she simply couldn't think. She just couldn't do it. Instead, she simply buried her face in his unresponsive chest, wishing, hoping, and praying that anything could change.

It was a long time before Tails spoke again, but when he did, the words sent shivers down her spine. "Nicole, spread the news. Sonic the Hedgehog… is dead."

* * *

Holy cow, that one was long! But it was really fun to write. :) Thanks to Wrath of the Heavens for the idea! :D

Let's see... thanks to ShadowEmpress76, brave kid, and Parker 117 for reviewing! To ShadowEmpress76, I liked the story! I can see why you don't like hospitals. XP And to Parker 117, I'm glad that that last one was well done! ^^

Until next time, guys! :D


	39. Dreams

** 39. Dreams**

They had both had their own dreams when they were little. He wanted to be the fastest thing alive, someone who could so fast that he could help everyone, and even—yes—a hero. She wanted to be the greatest leader the Kingdom of Acorn had ever seen, kind and loving to all her subjects. They both wanted to be the best they could be, and when they were little, they promised each other that they'd reach their goals no matter what.

And as they grew older, they did everything that they could to attain those dreams. He ran like there was no tomorrow, never once stopping for anything; she ran the kingdom in her father's absence, always doing her best to remember what her father had taught her. They encouraged each other when the going got tough, and they never backed down from their own challenges

After what must have been forever, they finally reached those goals. He was the fastest thing alive, the blue blur, the Hero of Mobius, and he was free. She was the leader of the Freedom Fighters, one of the few who had put together the plans that had brought Robotnik's operation to his knees, and she was sure that her father was going to be so proud of her. They were both happy.

But… that happiness was short-lived. Even as the fastest thing alive, he couldn't save everyone, and even as the leader of the rebellion against Robotnik, her father—and her people—still showed disappointment in her. Despite the fact that they had finally reached those long sought after dreams, they hadn't found that pure untainted joy. There was something missing in their paradises, in their perfect places, and no matter what, they just couldn't find it.

So they tried everything they could. He went on countless dangerous adventures, and she never relaxed from her duties. He threw himself headfirst into life-threatening peril, and she spent night after night, studying and trying to do better. He exhausted himself physically, she exhausted herself mentally, and by the time they were done… well, they were _done. _

Whenthey reached that point, they turned to each other for comfort. They confided in one another, and admitted that victory wasn't all they had hoped for.

"Sal, I… I can't save everyone."

"Sonic, they… they hate me."

It was in those moments of weakness, of quiet voices, of pure and utter trust that they truly felt _it_. That peace they had been searching for, that happiness they had dreamed of; somehow in bitter-sweet irony, they were more content at the bottom of the hill than at the peak of the mountain. But how was it so? Why on Mobius did they find more contentment in their sadness?

Though everyone realized it long before they did, they finally found their answers.

He had explored every corner of the world and she had searched through every book she had, but they had had never thought about looking right behind them—right at home, where there had always been someone there for them. Someone who was always rooting for them, always thinking about them, and always hoping—praying—that they'd find that thing they were looking for.

And after what must have been forever, they finally did.

"I love you, Sal."

"And I love you, Sonic."

And it was as simple as that.

* * *

A happier one. :) It's ironic where you can find happiness...

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76, brave kid, Wrath of the Heavens, Thomas Holmes II, and ABSOselfRBED for the reviews! :D I'm really glad you guys liked the last one! ^^ I hope you guys like this one too... :)


	40. Rated

** 40. Rated**

He could hear them from a distance, and even though it didn't seem like he was listening, he couldn't help himself from doing it. With ears perked at just the right angle, he was able to catch every last syllable, and thanks to it, he was wearing a very annoyed and very mad expression.

_"What about that red-head? The one next to the blue guy?" _One of the three teens asked, being careful to speak quietly so the person that the "red-head" was sitting next to wouldn't hear them.

_ "She's not bad, but I've seen better."_

Sally, who was sitting right across from Sonic at the small round table, was oblivious to the sounds around her. At the moment—being wrapped up in a warm autumn jacket, pants, boots, scarf, and pair of earmuffs—she was far too engulfed in her mug of hot chocolate to care, even if she could have heard them. Sonic, on the other hand, heard the three without problem, and to be honest, he didn't exactly appreciate their words.

_"Her face isn't bad and her body isn't too shabby either, but she's not exactly hot if you get what I'm saying. What do you think, Dan?"_

_ "I give her a six and a half, maybe a seven." _

_ "Seven."_

_ "Five."_

Oh, that had done it. Nearly growling out loud, Sonic gritted his teeth. Now they were really going to get it.

Doing his best to be discreet and waiting until Sally's attention was diverted, Sonic divided his attention between the whispering of the three boys, Sally, and the mugs of hot coffee directly in front of them. The moment Sally brought the mug up to her lips and took another drink, Sonic snapped his fingers together, letting a quick chaos incantation burst from his lips, "Chaos ignite."

As soon as the last syllable had been spoken, a sudden CRACK boomed throughout the restaurant. Immediately following was three oddly high-pitched screeches, each coming from the very spot that the three boys were currently occupying. All eyes—except for Sonic's, of course—were on the boys within a couple of seconds, several of which were wide and filled with shock.

Sally was no exception to this. The moment she heard the CRACK, she had turned to where the boys were, gapping when their mugs of coffee had exploded in their faces, and turning to Sonic when they started screeching. Though she was still wearing that shocked expression which usually demanded an answer, Sonic simply shrugged at her, casually taking a sip of his hot chocolate in the process. In his opinion, they had been asking for it… begging for it, really.

* * *

Two things you don't talk crap about around Sonic: 1. Sally 2. Chili dogs.

Thank you brave kid, ShadowEmpress76, and Parker 117 for the reviews! :D I'm really glad you guys like last time's one! ^^ I hope you guys like this one too!


	41. Teamwork

**41. Teamwork**

The footsteps from the hallway coming closer and closer with each second, Sonic gritted his teeth together, standing up on his tiptoes as Sally stood on his shoulders, gazing hungrily at the Wonderland before her. "Come on Thal! I can't hold you up for muth longer!"

The four year old princess was totally silent—nearly breathless—as she reached for the bag of goodies stashed on the highest shelf. She was shaking (partly from fear of falling, partly in fear of being caught) as she stretched her arm out, her fingers barely brushing the surface of the bag before she lost her balance. "Careful!" She cried out in a whisper as she flailed her arms, glaring down at the hedgehog. Ever so warily, he steadied himself and readjusted his position, being cautious to not drop the princess. "We can't get caught!"

"Then hurry!" Sonic exclaimed, scowling at the princess as he gripped her ankles in an attempt to support her. "I think that—"

"Sally, Sonic? What are you two doing in there?"

Both Sonic and Sally nearly jumped twenty feet in the air at the sound of Rosie's voice, but nearly screeched when Uncle Chuck's voice came booming from the same room. "Sonic, if you're trying to get those cookies again, you're going to be in a lot of trouble!"

The two children exchanged a serious we-are-so-totally-dead look and with that, nodded to each other. Looking back up at the pantry once again, Sonic gritted his teeth and swallowed once before he whispered, "Ready?"

Sally simply spoke once, "Ready." And with that, Sonic jumped upwards.

The hedgehog had obviously forgotten the strength he had in his legs, for Sally nearly smacked her head when he bounded. She was only just barely able to suppress the screech and grab the bag on the way down. Once on the floor again, Sonic helped her down and with a smile, the two gave each other a high five. They had done it! The spoils of war were—

"What did I tell you two?" Both of the children cringed as they turned to face Uncle Chuck. An angry look was glued to his face as he walked towards them, making both their stomachs drop to their shoes. They were seriously going to get it.

Of course, that was when Sonic remembered that he was fastest thing in the kingdom, so without another word, he picked Sally up in his arms and ran. Chuck was only barely able to brush his fingers on his nephew's shoulder before he was gone, which left a scowl on his face and growl in his throat.

"One of these days," Chuck said, shaking his head as he stomped off, "Those two are going to get in a lot of trouble."

* * *

"Yo Eggman! Your aim's a little off!" Sonic exclaimed, nearly laughed as the giant Egg-bot struggled to get up off the ground yet again. "Better luck next time though, right?"

As the citizens of New Mobotropolis ran and screamed in a wild attempt to escape from the battle that had engulfed the city, Sally moved towards it. She was silent as she ran, careful as she pressed the buttons on Nicole, and watchful as she glanced between Sonic and Eggman. Luckily, Sonic had been smart enough not to look at her and give her position away, and for the time being, stealth was still on her side.

"You disgusting little rodent!" The man cried out, his voice barely able to escape from the fried speakers on the robot, "You will pay for this!"

Letting out another laugh, Sonic swatted away at the air. "Pay? Eggman, you and I both know that I don't have money! I'm a poor kid, you see."

"You smart-aleck! I should beat you senseless!"

"Should and can are very different words, you see. If you can actually get up and attack me, then we'll talk."

"AGH!"

Their banter had given Sally just enough time to sneak up on the Egg-bot and finish her work. Without a word, she stuck the small object that Nicole's nanites had created onto the bot, smiling once it was properly attached. And just in the nick of time, too! As soon as it had been properly fastened to the machine, the mustached menace regained control of his toy. He stood the bot up, smiling and laughing as he stared at the hedgehog before him.

"There! Now you'll really get it!" He laughed, pointing furiously at the hedgehog as if his stare alone could kill him.

Sonic merely raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I don't think so, doctor. Now, Sal!"

Eggman's brow furrowed at the mention of the princess. "What—" But before anything could be said, the charge Sally had attached to the bot's leg went off, instantly mutilating the robot beyond any simple repairs.

The villain cried out in shock and as a result, the robot's arms flailed wildly as it fell back, doing anything it could to regain its balance. His attempts ultimately failed, and just before Sally could be crushed (for she had failed to move in time), Sonic swooped underneath the bot and grabbed Sal.

"Woo! That was close!" Sonic exclaimed, sharing an amused glance with Sal. "Way too close. Careful, Sal. We might get in some serious trouble one of these days."

Nodding in agreement, Sally smiled. "No kidding."

* * *

Sonic and Sally are trouble makers. They always have been, and they always will be. :)

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76, brave kid, Parker 117, and Thomas Holmes II for reviewing! ^^ Thanks for catching that mistake, ShadowEmpress76, and don't worry Parker 117, I will update Fragile ASAP!

Until next time!


	42. Standing Still

**42. Standing Still**

She could barely keep her eyes open, barely even stand in her spot without rocking, rocking, rooooockiiiiiing. Every time she blinked, she found herself less and less comprehensive, and more and more ready to collapse on the ground. More than anything at that moment, Sally wanted sleep to grace her.

And yet at that same moment, there was nothing she hated more. No matter what she, couldn't fall asleep, couldn't even hint at the fact that she was tired, couldn't tell him that she needed it; she really couldn't. Heck, when she thought about it, she really didn't even want to sleep. If she could have, she would have just stood there forever instead…

"Sal…" The young man before her whispered, his hands on her shoulders as he stared at her, her heart racing and flying and soaring as she waited for him to speak again. "I love you."

Oh, how she loved the sound of his voice. It made her feel real, whole, happy, and safe. As if there was nothing in the world that could ever harm her. Like no matter what, everything was going to be okay in the end.

Though it felt like an eternity, it was only a few seconds after he had spoken when she had nodded and wrapped her arms around him. She buried her face in his chest and for what must have been an eternity, stood still. Soon afterward, he put his arms around her, and all became silent. When Sally finally gathered the strength (and energy) to talk again, her voice was only barely loud enough to be heard. "Sonic, I'm so sorry. I should have never done that."

His voice in return was soft and quiet as well. "I know Sal. I know."

The pitter-pattering of the rain directly outside was the only proof that life around them was still going on, but even with that, it felt as if they were the only ones alive. Even with the rain, it felt as they were the only two on the entire planet, the only ones that mattered… was that how love was supposed to feel? Sally honestly didn't know.

It was a long time before the two pulled away and looked at each other, and when they did, Sonic spent a few moments examining her. His brow was furrowed and his expression was hard, but a surprised look on his face took over before long. Without stopping to explain what he was doing, the hedgehog brought two fingers to his lips and spoke, "Silence, peace, sleep." And ever so carefully, he put the two fingers to her forehead. "Chaos."

Her heart skipping a beat, Sally's eyes grew wide. "Sonic, no!" But it was far too late. The power of his words washed over her with a slow wave-like motion, and within moments, Sally found any control she had had over her limbs die off. She stumbled forward into his arms, and weakly, she let out one last word. "Sonic…" And with that, her eyes finally closed.

Sonic merely smiled as he held onto her. "I love you, Sal." He whispered, kissing her forehead ever so carefully as he laid her on the floor, her head in lap once he was sitting on the floor with her. "Sweet dreams." And then, after several long moments of silence, he smirked again, stroking her hair as he shook his head. "Silly. Usually I'm the one that can't stay still. Not today though, huh?"

Taking in a deep breath, Sonic nodded to himself. "Sleep well then, Sal. You're going to need it."

Sally showed no sign of having heard him. She simply took in heavy breathes as she sleep, her ear twitching once before she became still.

* * *

Those who have read my fanfic, Fragile, may recognize where this one comes from... :)

Thanks to brave kid, ShadowEmpress76, and dynamiteboom12345 for the reviews! :D I'm glad you guys liked the last one, and I hope you guys will like this one too!


	43. Dying

**43. Dying**

Fire. Every inch of his body, every fiber of his being; it had totally and ultimately consumed him, the blaze that was burning just beneath his skin. He couldn't escape it, couldn't even think without it dragging him under and drowning him; he couldn't even breath properly. Each and every breath choked him, scorched his throat, ripped him apart; oh, there was simply no denying it. Sonic the Hedgehog, hero of Mobius, the fastest thing alive, the one and only "True Blue" was—dare anyone say it—dying.

But did that stop him? Did that keep him from moving forward; keep him from being the hero that he was? Absolutely not. Even as his heartbeat increased in speed with every beat, even as his breathing became shallow and broken, he ran. He ran towards what he knew would be the last stand, because he knew for a fact that he didn't have any other option. And even if there would have been one, he wouldn't have taken it; that was simply fact. No one on Mobius could have denied that—not even the hero himself.

"Sal," After what _must _have been years of silence, the hedgehog dragged himself from the safety of his mind and spoke, his voice horse and nearly dead. "How close are we?"

The princess—no the queen, his beloved wife—responded without a moment's hesitation. "Only a mile, Sonic. Just a little further." He merely nodded in response, not even daring to take in a breath for fear of choking on the oxygen before he shot off once again.

It took less than half a minute for them to reach their destination, and as soon as they were there, the first thing Sonic did was put Sally down on her feet and let loose a ferocious cough. Sally simply stood there, patting him on the back as she did her best to control herself, tears nearly spilling as the hedgehog hacked and hacked.

After what felt like forever, the coughs ended, the hedgehog stood up straight. He turned to her, his gaze unwavering and strong despite the weakness that was so obviously radiating from his body. "Sal, I—"

She silenced him with a swift kiss, and for awhile they stood there, the wind and the rain raging around them in a desperate attempt to pull them apart. When they finally did, though, the tempest around them felt like nothing. For an entire moment, the hedgehog felt invincible again, like he could touch the stars, as if nothing could stop him—

"Sonic, I'm coming with you."

And then it ended, and his heart stopped for an eternity and a half. "Sal, you're not—"

"Sonic, you're dying, and so am I. I don't want us to die without each other." She told him, her voice grave and all too serious.

"Sal, you can't be dying. You haven't taken in nearly enough chaos energy; there's no way it could have poisoned you."

She swallowed, nodding once. "But it did. Sonic, you know as well as I do that my body doesn't handle the chaos energy like yours does. It only took that one time."

The words sunk in just like that, and Sonic's years drooped. "Sal…"

Silently, Sally took his hands, swallowing again as she looked him in the eye. Within that moment, he was able to see everything—the physical pain she had hidden, the fear that had taken her, and the last bit of hope she was clinging to—and it gave him enough strength to nod in reply. "Then let's go out with a bang."

She smiled weakly at him, a half smirk, and hugged him. "I wouldn't have it any other way, my dear."

* * *

Sorry for the random disappearance! School has taken over, but I finally had the chance to update! :D Hope you guys liked it!

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76 and brave kid for the reviews! ^^ It means a lot to me! And thanks to all my silent followers too! :D Until next time!


	44. Two Roads

**44. Two Roads**

Did he regret choosing the lonely road? The question that been haunting him refused to silence itself as he ran, and it continued to echo in his thoughts with every single step. It rebounded off of every surface in his mind, and with every breath, it grew louder and louder. _Do you regret it? If you could go back and change what you just said, would you?_

The hedgehog in question merely gritted his teeth, shaking off the words as he quickened his pace. He didn't have to will to reply, and if even if he did, would he have done it? She already knew the answer to the question, so why was that little whisper—that ghost of a remembrance—haunting him? _Do you feel guilty about it? Even a little bit?_

His hands clenching into fists, the hedgehog simply continued to run. _Does it even hurt you, or does it merely burden you? Would you rather be without the memory? _As he flew across the land, his teeth began to grit together. _You probably don't even care. Even if it 'hurt' you, it really doesn't mean anything to you. So long as you can run, everything will be just peachy-keen in the end. Even if you don't have anyone by your side, you'll always have 'running' to fall back on, won't you?_ The blood in his veins was boiling; partly from the rage, and partly from the undeniable fact that he was hurting.

_But guess what? One of these days, you're not going to be able to run anymore. _Stop_. One day, you're not going to be able to stand up on your own, and you're not going to know what to do. _Stop it. _And guess what? I'm not going to be there, because you thought it would be better to go on without me; alone, just like the hero you are. _STOP IT. _But you don't give a crap, do you? You honestly don't care about what I believe. I don't think you ever did. _

"SHUT UP!" The words leaving his body caused him to shake and tremble, and within a few moments, they caused him to tumble and fall. Force alone caused him to lose his balance and nearly land face-first in the soaking wet grass, the rain around him suddenly engulfing his body as he pulled himself up onto his hands and knees. His teeth were gritted and his body was still shaking and—to the world's horror—there were tears in his eyes. With a broken voice and a weak will, the hedgehog whispered just under his breath, "You think I don't know that, Sal?"

The thunder and lightning ruling around him were nothing compared to the storm raging inside him. "I don't honestly want to be alone forever, Sal, but you should know better than anyone else." He said, his voice weak and nearly dead. "A hero has to be alone at least once in his life… otherwise… otherwise…"

_Otherwise what?_

He didn't respond for a long time. When he did, though, his words were quiet and nearly inaudible. "Otherwise, he risks the chance of being alone for good. He… risks the chance of losing everything he cares about."

Silence ruled for what felt like an eternity and a half. _Do you honestly believe that the two roads will unite again? _

He didn't answer her that time; he didn't have to. Instead, he simply shot up off the ground and took off; his bad mood already wiped away with a mask of fake smiles. As he ran, he took in a deep breath, flying across the land at a speed that would have made even sound itself jealous.

* * *

Even as he ran from her, he wasn't able to escape. This one is one of my personal favorites. :)

Thank you brave kid and ShadowEmpress76 for the reviews! :) I'm sorry that I haven't been updating regularly. I'll do my best to get into a better pattern, but school comes first. And hopefully, Glass Rose will be updated soon too! I'm getting close to finishing the chapter. :D Until next time!


	45. Illusion

**45. Illusion**

"So let me get this straight," Sally sighed, her head pounding as she did her best to comprehend the doctor's words. "He's on enough pain meds to knock out a horse, and it's only just barely doing its job on him. Right?"

Dr. Quack sighed, shrugging once before he nodded and continued, taking a moment ever so often to stare at the hedgehog (who was, at the moment, totally incoherent of everything around him, even though he was awake). "Well… yes and no. To be precise, he's actually on enough pain meds to _kill_ a horse."

Sally's brow furrowing yet again, she gapped. "Then… how on Mobius is he still alive?"

The doctor hummed once, looking off to the side as if he didn't quite know how to word it. "I do believe that you should know this better than anyone else, Princess Sally. Sonic's so used to taking large doses of pain meds by now that—"

"He's got a huge resistance." Sally sighed, shaking her head as the realization sunk in. "Why… ugh. I'm not even going to ask. I'm just going to hit him over the head for it."

Dr. Quack chuckled at that, shaking his head once at Sally's words. "Well, now would be the best time to do it. He can't feel anything right now."

Taking a quick glance at Sonic, her arms folded, Sally scowled. "I'm going to wait until he _can _feel it."

The doctor merely smirked, chuckling as he looked down once again to his clipboard. Meanwhile, Sally continued to glare at the hedgehog as his eyes wandered the hospital lazily.

"Hey…" he suddenly said in a weak voice, making all eyes instantly move towards him. "You're uh ducktor. Geddit—ducktor? Like duck doctor. Heh heh heh…"

Sally quite literally face-palmed at his comment, while Dr. Quack merely raised his eyebrows. "Would you like me to—"

"Please do." Sally said, not taking her hand from her face for even a moment.

The doctor nodded, and with that, headed off toward the IVs and machinery next to Sonic. Sally, however, took the moment to glare at the hedgehog, who staring intently at her at the moment.

"Sal…" He whispered, doing his very best to sound at least somewhat awake. "When did you grow wings?"

Sally merely huffed and shook her head. "You're an idiot."

* * *

Sonic + Pain meds = Oh dear.

Late update, but I finally updated! :) Hopefully I can update tomorrow too...

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76, brave kid, and Sesshomarusama3 for reviewing! :) It means a lot to me!


	46. Family

**46. Family**

Sally found herself unable to take her eyes off him, even though she was trying so hard not to stare at him. She needed to concentrate on other things, but with him standing there, doing push-ups—standing push-ups—of all things, she found that it was nearly impossible to do so. Why did he have do that in front of her? Didn't he know that she couldn't work when he was doing that? He probably did, and he was probably doing it _because_ he knew he was distracting.

Gritting her teeth together, Sally shook her head. If she just ignored him, maybe he would stop. Maybe she'd finally be able to concentrate, and maybe she'd finally be able to get her work done. Just maybe if he'd…

It took less than five seconds for her to give up on her resolve. She looked up at the hedgehog after what must have been an eternity and a half, and as soon as her eyes met him, her heart nearly skipped a beat. For some reason the very sight of his left arm made her heart drop, and she nearly teared up as a result. Shouldn't she have been used to seeing him with the metal arm by now?

Just as she was about to look away and continue her work, Sonic's gaze met hers, and a cheerful smile was sent her way. She returned a half-hearted smirk, and before anything else could be done, she looked away. She was teary-eyed, she was blushing, and she just needed to work. He was just being too distracting…

"Sal." Oh, of course. "You alright?"

Looking up from Nicole's screen for what had to be the nineteen-billionth time that day, Sally nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." She cringed when Sonic's brow furrowed. Her voice had betrayed her; it was beyond obvious that she wasn't.

"You sure?" He asked, sitting down next to her as she glanced off to the side, doing her best to be discreet about the tears that were beginning to escape. "You seem a little sad to me. It's not about my arm again, is it?"

She shook her head. "No, of course not. I'm just... I'm just a little…" Growling, Sally turned to him. To be honest, she was fed up with lying to everyone about how she was, and she had drawn the line with it. "No, I'm not okay. I'm sick and tired of people getting hurt, and I'm just—I'm just mad, Sonic. I mean, look at all of this!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air for dramatic effect. "You've lost your arm, we lost Amy a few weeks ago," the sudden mention of Amy made her words melt into a series of broken almost-sobs, "And I can't take it anymore. It's just not fair."

The blue hedgehog merely stared at her with a sad, sympathetic look on his face, sighing after a few moments of silence. "I know exactly how you feel, Sal." He finally whispered, looking up at the sky as he nodded. "But you know what? There's always going to be a bit of rain in-between the sunshine." He whispered, taking her left hand with his right.

Swallowing once as he played with the ring on her left ring finger, Sally nodded. "I know, Sonic. I just… I want it to end. I want to be happy for more than just a day."

"It will eventually, Sal, and we will be happy eventually. But for now, let's just concentrate on tomorrow." Sonic told her, smiling as he put his arms around her. "You're going to become Mrs. Sally Hedgehog. Isn't that odd?"

She simply nodded as she cuddled up to him, a half-laugh, half-hiccup escaping from her mouth in the process. "Yeah. And if I'm going to be totally honest here, I always expected us getting married later in life."

"When we're like, two years older?"

Sally laughed again, "Yeah, something like that. You know that we're going to have to a lot of kids? You know, because of the population."

Sonic merely smiled. "I'm going to be a weird dad."

"We're going to be a weird family."

* * *

Takes place in the same AU as 12, 17, and 35. And hey, I updated today! :D

It's hard to see people you care about in such bad shape, but it's during those times of hardships when you grow the closest to them.

Thank you ShadowEmpress76, brave kid, Sesshomarusama3, and Parker117 for the reviews! :D I'm glad you guys liked the last one! Loopy Sonic is very fun to write... :)


	47. Creation

**47. Creation**

He knew what it was like to have his eyes burst into a glow of red and his body to shine in a shower of gold when he turned super, and goodness, did he know it well. With how often he had had to turn super, he had nearly grown accustomed to all the power that was bundled with that package in particular. Being able to see the tiniest of movements; hearing even the slightest of whispers; the supremacy in his voice; to be honest, he loved it all. The raw power of the chaos emeralds was larger-than-life, and in simple terms, it was beyond remarkable. It was breath-taking.

But to have his eyes burn gold and his body flare with every color imaginable?

The chaos emeralds were one thing, but the super emeralds… they a completely different story. He could see everything and nothing all at once. He could hear every word, every syllable, even those that would never be spoken and those that had remained unspoken. His voice echoed with the knowledge and strength of the eternities. Everything, everything, everything; he had it all within his grasp.

And it was killing him.

Every breath, every heartbeat, everything he did over-whelmed him; every single time he blinked, he went into sensory over-load. It was magnificent and terrifying at the same time… both beautiful and horrible at the same moment. He could barely keep a hold on everything without it totally driving him insane. His head… it felt as if his skull was going to split.

And yet he couldn't keep the power from washing over him. It was so wonderful, so totally and completely amazing to wield so much power. So—

"Sonic!"

He looked down and—oh, she was so small. So tiny and insignificant, but also… so there. So real. So much greater than anything he could possibly comprehend, and yet so simple. So, so, so—

"Let it go, Sonic! Just let it go!"

He was shaking and there were tears running down his cheeks, but at the moment, he didn't realize it. He couldn't realize it. There were far too many things running through his mind for him to recognize anything simple that was happening to him at that very moment.

"Sal." He spoke, his voice booming and echoing as if the entire world could carry his sound. "I can see everything. Everyone and everywhere. Anything… and nothing." He swallowed, shaking his head. "I can do anything. I could create worlds or I could destroy them. It wouldn't even take any effort. Heck, in this state, I could destroy all of Eggman's operations!"

"Sonic, please! Just look at me!"

"I have so much power in my grasp… it wouldn't even be hard. Just a snap of the fingers, and I'd—"

The sudden grasp of a hand around his wrist made his already going haywire heart skip another thousand and one beats. Without a single thought, he looked down at her—though he already knew who it was—and watched as she spoke.

"Sonic, let it go."

He stared at her for what could have been a million years before her words clicked in his mind, and as soon as they did, he did exactly what he told her. Immediately after that, it felt as if for an entire moment, he was burning.

And then, very suddenly, everything was cool and calm and quiet. There was nothing in his head other than his own thoughts, which were surprisingly still for once. For once in his life, he could think without getting in his own way; think without being over-come by random ideas and thoughts bursting out from every side at every single second.

Of course, it only took so long for him to be over-whelmed by everything, and within seconds he had collapsed. Though Sally did her best to support him as he went into dead-weight mode, she was unable to support him, and she too went down. She managed to land in a sitting position with his head in her lap, but she was only barely able to stay sitting up as she panted. Just being around him when he was like that; just looking at him was exhausting.

For a long time, she was as silent as silence was, doing her best to catch her breath without leaving a regular breathing pattern. After awhile, Sally looked down at him and shook her head. "You scared me half to death again, Sonic..." She whispered, "Can't you stop being reckless for once in your life?"

He didn't respond, so she merely kissed his forehead.

* * *

She always does her best to be there for him. Always.

Thank you Thomas Holmes II, ShadowEmpress76, MizukiiMoon, the Guest, and Parker117 for all of your reviews! :D I'm so glad you guys liked that one! ^-^ And to the Guest who reviewed; Sonic lost his arm in an accident that is talked about a bit in chapter 17 of this story. There isn't a fanfiction for this yet, but I'm planning on writing one one day! And Amy lost her life in a mission...

Until next time!


	48. Childhood

** 48. Childhood**

"I… uh… Sal?"

For a long time, silence ruled the distance between him and the chipmunk-squirrel hybrid. He had absolutely no idea what to say to her—if who he was looking at really was Sal—and even if he did speak, would she understand what he was telling her? The look in her eyes told him that she was a bit surprised from the sudden change (which was to be expected), but despite that, she didn't look "shocked." Knowing Sal, she was supposed to start freaking out any—

The girl suddenly took in a sharp breath, making Sonic jump in his spot. "Oh my gosh! You—you're—you're—" Sonic simply watched as she flailed her arms in excitement, doing her best to find the correct words.

Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Sonic the Hedgehog?"

"Cute!"

Cute? Now _that _definitely did not sound like something Sally Acorn would ever say. His ears drooping for a fraction of a second, Sonic glanced off to the side before getting down on one knee so he was eye-level to the red-head.

"Well, thanks. I appreciate the compliment Miss…"

"Acorn! Miss. Sally Acorn, princess of the kingdom of Acorn!"

Sonic's heart skipped a beat the moment the words left her mouth. She really was Sally, but… the way she was introducing herself—the very fact that she was introducing herself to him at all—was unsettling. She was acting as if she didn't know him. As if she had never—

The thought made Sonic's heart drop. Did she… not remember him? Did her sudden transformation rob her of her memories? The look in his eye must have caught her attention, for Sally suddenly cried out. "Hey!"

His gaze returned to her within the blink of an eye, and to his surprise, he found that she was wearing her signature I-do-not-approve look. "No sad faces, and that's an order! The frown you are wearing does not suit you!"

The tone in her voice was so commanding and so strong that at that moment, all of Sonic's worries melted away. Even with the face and mind of a five year old, Sally was still Sally. Still proud of whom she was, and always ready to move forward and do whatever it took to win. And that meant that no matter what, she was going to over-come her sudden set-back.

Smiling at the pleasant thought, Sonic nodded and chuckled. "Whatever you say, my princess." He said, bowing for the girl as soon as the words left his mouth.

Nodding in approval, Sally patted his head. "Good. Now, where to my loyal subject?"

Sonic smirked as he stood up, picking up Sally at the same time. She squealed in the process, but quickly found herself sitting comfortably on Sonic's right shoulder. "We're going to go see a friend. Sound good to you?"

The girl nodded, "Yes, it does!"

Sonic simply smiled in return.

* * *

Some people simply never change. Some do. The process of growing up is a strange thing, indeed. :)

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76, Sesshomarusama3, brave kid, and Parker117 for the reviews! I'm glad you guys liked the last one; that one was really fun to write. :) And to Sesshomarusama3; it is indeed sad of what happens to the Freedom Fighters in that story, but that's what will make it what it is. :) I'm looking forward to do the day when I write it!


	49. Stripes

** 49. Stripes**

It was odd to see him just sitting there, his arms resting on his knees, and his face not visible because his head was hanging. He looked so defeated, so weak and so tired. It just wasn't him, no matter which way anyone examined him. Sonic didn't give up; Sonic _never _gave up. And yet here he was. Simply sitting there as if there was no way for victory to come about. To put it in simple terms, it was… mad.

Even odder—at least in Ken's opinion—was the striped jump-suit that he was wearing. Here was Sonic the Hedgehog, the symbol of freedom himself, bound in chains and sitting behind bars. At that moment, Ken was convinced that the world and all of its inhabitants had indeed gone mad.

"So…" After a long time of staring at the hedgehog, Ken finally found the words he had been searching for. "This is what the Hero of Mobius does when everyone turns on him? When he loses the one he loves most?" He let a moment of silence hang in the air in the hope that he would respond, but Sonic stayed silent. "I thought that there was at least a little bit left in you to fuel the fire."

A very even-toned, very blank, yet angry voice suddenly echoed throughout the room, taking up every corner of the cell despite the fact that it was so quiet. "There's plenty of fire left in me, monkey boy." Sonic said as he looked up. "I'm not giving up that easily."

Ken nearly fell back when his eyes found Sonic's. The fire burning in them—the blaze, no, the utter Inferno—had enough power to blot out the sun. No, the hedgehog had not given up; in fact, he had done the exact opposite. He had been pushed to the limit. To _his_ limit.

Before anything else could be said, Sonic stood up. He glanced once at Ken, his expression unchanging and solid as he spoke. "Out of the way."

The monkey barely moved in time. Within the blink of an eye, the hedgehog had rushed at the bars and totally obliterated them, tearing them apart with a chaos incantation so wild that several of the bars were torn completely free from their places and sent flying.

Ken took in a deep breath, standing in shock as the hedgehog stepped out, ripping the chains from his wrist as if it really was no big deal. "You're—you're mad." Ken finally cried out, pointing a finger to said hedgehog. "You're insane!"

Sonic merely looked up at him, smirking for the first time in what must have been weeks. "Yeah. Isn't it scary?" Ken took a simple moment to think over Sonic's words. Yes, maybe Sonic really was the insane one in the world. Maybe he was the one who was truly mad… the thought made him shiver. To be honest, he would have rather had the world be mad.

"Besides…" Sonic suddenly spoke again, cutting off Ken's train of thought. "Nothing gets in-between me and Sal. Nothing."

* * *

Stripes, bars, chains... nothing gets in-between a hero and his princess. Ohh, title drop. :D

Thanks to ShadowEmpres76, Sesshomarusama3, brave kid, and Candace for the reviews. :) The last one was a bit confusing, but don't worry; there will be another one to explain what exactly had happened!

Until next time! :D


	50. Breaking the Rules

** 50. Breaking the Rules**

The moment her eyes met his, the maid's heart skipped a beat and her heart dropped. Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no. Why did it have to be him? Of all people on the face of Mobius, why did it have to be Sonic that she just _happened _to bump into? Did everything and everyone in the universe hate her? Though rationalization did manage to remind her that she _did_ work in the very home that he and his family lived in, she still found herself questioning how exactly it had happened.

"Well, well, well…" Sonic said, an eyebrow raised as he smirked a mischievous and flirty grin. "What do we have here?"

Sally merely swallowed, doing her best to stand up straight, look dignified, and avoid his gaze at the same time. Rather than talking to him, Sally simply stood still, hoping that he would eventually get the message and leave.

Knowing Sonic, though, that wasn't going to happen. And as expected, the hedgehog started circling her as he spoke. Oh, how she wished she could slap him across the face. "I like the maid's dress, Sal. Looks good on you! Though to be honest, it's not really your thing. You know?"

Her lips in a thin-lined frown, Sally took in a deep breath. "I would appreciate it very much if you—"

Before Sally could finish her sentence, Sonic had put an arm around her waist and pulled her close. What on Mobius—?

"Why so formal, Sal? It's just me!" Sonic told her as he raised an eyebrow, sending yet another flirty smile in her direction. "Your old pal Sonic."

Her cheeks beginning to burn red, Sally growled. "As a servant of the kingdom of—"

"Servant, shmirvant!" Sonic exclaimed, throwing his other arm into the air for dramatic effect. "You're Sal for crying out loud! Would it really kill you to just relax for one, S—?"

"YOUR HIGHNESS!" The girl finally had lost it; she simply couldn't take his attitude. "If you don't mind, I am _trying _my very best to stay on task! I am not allowed to chat idly while I work, and I am most certainly am not allowed to flirt with any members of the royal family, thank you very much!"

His arm no longer around her waist, the prince simply stared at the girl, his eyebrows raised as he folded his arms. He no longer wore a smile, but a slight frown and a creased brow. Was he mad or offended? Was he sad?

After a long time, Sonic sighed and shook his head. "I seem to have forgotten. You've always been one to follow the rules to a 'T,' huh Sal?"

She didn't respond to his words. Rather than that, she sighed, shaking her head in the process as she spoke. "I need to return to my duties."

Sonic was silent, and taking that as the all-clear, Sally simply nodded one last time and headed off in the other direction. She still had to wash the windows and mop the hallway and dust the trophy room and—

Before Sally even knew what was going on, she found herself being turned around, pulled close, and smiled at in a very, very Sonic-y way. The moment everything sunk in, Sally found herself blushing fiercely.

"Your-your highness! This is not—"

"Sally Alicia Acorn, you know as well as I do that I'm always breaking the rules. Heck, you should know it better than anyone else." He said, raising an eyebrow for dramatic effect. "I make my own rules."

Sally simply swallowed, not knowing what else to do. At the moment, she was at Sonic's mercy, and she knew without a doubt that there was no way she could get away. Hopefully, he would show pity on her and let her continue her chores… the very last thing she needed was to get in trouble!

After a very long and drawn-out silence, Sonic rolled his eyes and shook his head, nearly chuckling in the process. Without a warning, he released his grip on the girl, making her nearly fall back from the sudden lack of support. "Sheesh Sal," He sighed as she did her best to regain any sort of balance, "You're no fun."

As soon as she found herself back on her feet, she immediately looked toward Sonic. He was already half-way down the hall, waving back at her as he spoke. "Enjoy cleaning the place, Sal! I'll see you later."

Against her better judgment, Sally grabbed the nearest bucket and threw it at him.

* * *

An AU in which Sonic is the prince and Sally is the commoner. How interesting it would be if Sonic was the prince, huh? :)

Sorry for the late update! :O But I got it up, and now this series is halfway done! :D

Thanks to Candace, ShadowEmpress76, Sesshomarusama3, and brave kid for the reviews! :D It means a ton to me when you guys read and review my stuff! And thanks to those quiet readers too! XD


	51. Sport

** 51. Sport**

The mechanical figure before the hedgehog didn't smile when he grinned his signature smirk, and she most certainly did not laugh when he cracked his usual poorly-crafted jokes. She didn't chuckle he tripped over his words, didn't even giggle at them. Instead, she simply did what she had been so used to doing in her current state—slap him across the face until his cheek was so bruised that he couldn't feel it anymore.

"You're an idiot," She would tell him as stars dance across his vision, "And you're going to die alone."

He'd merely laugh, "I know."

And then she would beat him into unconsciousness.

Such was the routine that Dr. Eggman had programmed into the roboticized Sally's head. Every day at noon precisely, she'd come in for questioning, he'd refuse to participate through a series of sarcastic and somewhat rude comments, and she'd promptly beat him to a pulp. And as to be expected, a few weeks of that took quite the toll on Sonic's body.

He had earned a black eye, two concussions, a dislocated shoulder, a broken leg (seriously, it was always the leg they went for), a smile that was missing the front top-left tooth, and quite a few other cuts and bruises that any other normal Mobian would have never been able to handle. It was all quite brutal, but as Eggman had expected, Sonic wore them like a medal he had proudly earned. Every time Mecha Sally walked in, Sonic would happily ask her, "What today princess? Maybe some cuts across my shoulders? That would look pretty cool."

Of course, his asking always ended with receiving, and Eggman had to admit it; he had cringed a few times when watching the video feed. Ouch.

It was always the same thing they went through, every single day at the exact same time. Always, always, always. Never any different, never any kinder. Always brutal, always cruel, always cold and unforgiving… always. Except for the one day when Eggman left.

He had explained to the roboticized princess to simply go on about with her usual work. There were a couple of "errands," that he needed to run, and he was trusting her to watch the place. Prevent any intruders from getting in, make sure no one other than the worker bots get out, and go on with your usual questioning. Those were the orders he had given her, and being what she had become, there was nothing that could ever been done to make her do otherwise.

Well, almost nothing.

The hedgehog was particularly quiet when she walked in that day. He didn't crack any jokes, he didn't smile, he didn't even look at her from where he was chained to the wall. He simply sat there, waiting until she was right in from of him to let him grace her with his attention.

The look in his eye was odd for some reason, though. There was a far-off gleam in them; some thought that was hanging on the edge, just about ready to pop. It was almost as if he was sad, but… there was far too much storming in his gaze for sadness to have been the answer.

For a long time, silence ruled. Then, after a few moments, the hedgehog broke it in half.

"It's kind of weird, Sal." He said, his voice soft as she released the lock on his wrists, causing him to slide down from the wall and land on his feet. "You know? That you always come and visit me every day in here."

She ignored his words as she pulled him away into the center of the room. Though she usually smacked him for his first remark, she decided that since he was behaving a _little_ _bit_, he deserved at least a few moments of steady-minded talking. The fact that he hadn't said anything stupid so far was actually quite impressive in the mind of the roboticized princess.

"It reminds a bit of home. Knothole, I mean." He continued, nearly cringing when he brought up the old village. "I'm not sure if you remember right now, but… we always made sure to visit each other at least once a day."

Sally was silent as she he spoke. For once, her interest had been piqued by the hedgehog, and she couldn't keep herself from listening as she continued to drag him down the hall, grasping both of wrists with her metallic grasp.

"And it's kinda funny—well, ironic—when you think about it. After all these years, even when you've been roboticized, nothing really changes. I'm still the big-mouthed hero who gets the crap beaten out of him, and you're still the princess that always knows more than I do. Right?"

Even in her roboticized form, Sally couldn't stop herself from mentally agreeing with that comment.

"And since not much has changed over the years…" He said, pausing, as if he was contemplating something, as if he was tasting the words on his tongue before letting them pass his lips. "I'm still kind of crazy about…" But he suddenly stopped, perhaps because they had arrived at their destination, or perhaps he had realized that he was going to say something stupid.

Of course that had never stopped him before, and it was going to stop him now. As she pushed him into the room, a ghost of a smile took over the hedgehog. "You know one thing that _has_ changed, Sal? It all used to be for sport. Just for fun. All my goofing off… I did it just because I could. But now there's a reason for it. Heck, there's been a reason for it for years. Did you know that?"

She didn't respond. Instead, she simply turned him around, shoving him back against the slightly angled table where he was always placed during interrogation. The hedgehog was simply rambling at this point in time. It was best to finish up quickly before—

Surprise had been something the Robian had rarely—if ever—felt. It had been taken from her, ripped from her basic programming upon receiving her upgrade. She shouldn't have felt any shock from seeing the hero before her. But as she looked into the burning eyes of the hedgehog that was suddenly standing up straight, nearly towering over her in his banged up form, she couldn't deny that some sort of spark had jumped across her circuits.

"You do know why I do it, Sal. I know you do. You always have."

She never even had the chance to ask him what that had meant, much less smack him for being so annoyingly cryptic. Before she could even form the question in her mind, the hedgehog had—within the blink of an eye—placed his hands on her metal cheeks and bestowed a kiss to her metallic muzzle.

And boy did her systems go buggy.

She felt a jolt of electricity pass through her chest, and for an entire moment, she froze in her place. What—what was he—how—when did—why was—but—excuse me? What was he doing? Was Sonic the Hedgehog being serious with her, or was he playing with her? Everything that was running through her metallic body and her mind was making her head spin, but in-between the confusion, she was able to do three things.

First and foremost, she was able to push him away and end the kiss.

Second, she found herself capable of slapping him across the face so hard that he was sent flying across the room and into the wall with a loud thud.

And finally, she discovered an amazing reserve of energy that was perfectly compatible with a scolding.

"Sonic the Hedgehog, what on Mobius are you thinking?" She exclaimed, her programming suddenly making her cheeks burn with an artificial blush as Sonic held his check, staring at her with wide eyes. "Are you—is this some sort of a game to you? Because that's not funny! Didn't your uncle ever teach you not to play with a girl's—?"

She stopped the moment Sonic started laughing out loud.

"Why on Mobius are you laughing?"

It took a moment to find the right words, but when Sally heard them, she couldn't have been more shocked in all her life.

"Who knew a kiss of all things would restore Sally Acorn's free will?"

* * *

It has been WAY too long since I have updated. XP I've tried and tried to get to a computer, but it has been rough lately. But hey, here it is! Number 51!

I hope I'll be able to update tomorrow. If not, I'll do my best to update soon.

But hey, true love's kiss! Ha ha!

Thanks to flying star, brave kid, ShadowEmpress76, Sesshomarusama3, and Candace for all the reviews. Thanks to you guys, this is now my most reviewed story! :D Sweet! You guys rock! XD

Until next time!


	52. Deep in Thought

** 52. Deep in Thought**

"Sonic, what's on your mind?"

It took several moments for Sal's words to register in his mind, and by the time that they had, Sonic the Hedgehog had already kept his wife hanging for several seconds. He turned to her once he realized such, taking a few moments to stare at her before letting any words lose. "Nothing. Just spaced out."

Sally simply smiled, shaking her head before scooting closer to him on the couch they were currently sitting on. "Like you always do, right?"

Sonic smiled at her and nodded, "Like I always do."

The princess released a short giggle at that, cuddling up next to her husband as she closed her eyes. "I should have guessed."

He smiled again at her words, smirking as a light chuckle came to his lips. Same old Sal. She couldn't go a day without teasing him in some way or another.

The smile faded quickly, though, and as soon as he realized that Sal was mostly likely going to stay in that position for awhile, he let it die down to a soft frown. Truth be told, he hadn't been spacing out at all. No, he had been dwelling on a conversation he had over-heard a week ago; one that he simply couldn't get out of his head.

_"I just… I don't want to wait, Bunnie." Sonic heard as he quietly made his way through the back door, smiling as soon as he realized that it was Sally's voice that had first reached him._

_ "Sally-girl, you two just got hitched! Ya'll have plenty of time for those kind ah things!"_

_ Those kind of things? Was Sally and Bunnie talking about—? Holy crap. _

_ Though Sonic had been planning on walking in and loudly proclaiming that he had returned from his run, the sudden realization of how serious the conversation was froze Sonic in his place. He had a feeling that they were talking about him, and because of it, he was sure that they'd stop the moment they realized he was there. Knowing such, Sonic quietly made his way to the wall, making sure that there was no chance of them seeing—or hearing—him. Once his back was resting against it, he stayed silent, taking long and quiet breathes so he could listen in._

_ "I know Bunnie, I know. It's just… how much time?" There was a bit of silence that followed, but Sally quickly followed up. "I mean, what if Eggman attacks us one day and one of us dies? Or what if one of us gets killed by an assassin? Don't look at me like that, it could happen!" And once again, stillness followed. "Or… what if Sonic just doesn't ever want… what if we just keep putting it off until it's too late? What if he's so against the idea, what if he loves his 'freedom' too much… that we never get the chance?" _

_ Sonic swallowed as he drank in the sadness that emanated from his wife's tone. How… how long had she been thinking about this? "Sally-girl, you've got ta have faith in your Sugah-hog! He's not going to avoid it just because—"_

_ "But what if he does?" she cried out, her voice sharp enough that it made Sonic—and presumably Bunnie—cringe. "You know what Sonic's like. He doesn't like that kind of stuff. I mean, the extra responsibility, the idea of not being able to be so care-free… just the fact that we got married is a miracle all on its own."_

_ Sonic's heart nearly dropped at that bit, but before he could let his thoughts run free, he heard Bunnie gasp. "Sally, don't say that! Ya'll know that he loves you! He loves you more than you'll ever know!" _

_ "I know Bunnie. It's just that…" She stopped to sniff and take in a deep breath, as if she was currently being plagued with tears. "The one thing I always wanted when I was little was the chance to be normal. I've always dreamed of it, Bunnie, and… what's more normal than raising a family?"_

_ It was at that very moment that Sonic's heart skipped a beat and all the breath left his lungs. Though he had guessed that that was she and Bunnie had been talking about, the actual word… it hit him a lot harder than he had been expecting. And the very fact that that was the reason she wanted it? It was rocking his world._

_ For a long time after that, it was dead silent. And then, to Sonic's shock, he heard a quiet sound that made his heart drop again. But as to be expected, Bunnie beat him to it. "Oh Sally-girl, please don't cry. Ah promise, everything will okay! If you just talk to Sugah-hog about it, I'm sure he'll be willin' to listen, even if he doesn't agree ta it right now!"_

_ Sally didn't respond right away. "I don't think he will, Bunnie. I don't…" And for one last moment, silence hung in the air. "I'm going to go on a walk. I'll see you later, Bunnie." _

_ There was the sound of footsteps, the opening and closing of the front door, and the sigh of a friend who didn't know what to say. And then, after Bunnie had left, there was an unrivaled hush that fell upon the house as Sonic slid down the wall and onto the floor. He simply didn't know what to say. No, he simply didn't know what to do. _

"Sonic, are you alright?"

_He just didn't…_

"Sonic?"

Blinking twice, Sonic shook his head, focusing his gaze on Sally once again. She was staring at him, her eyes filled with concern and warmth as she smiled.

"Something on your mind?"

For a long time, Sonic simply stared at her. He opened his mouth as if to speak, as if to tell her what he had been reflecting on before he sighed and shook his head, dropping the subject before it had even began.

"It's nothing, Sal. Nothing at all."

* * *

Another update! Yeah!

A bit of a serious one. They both feel selfish for wanting something, and they simply don't have the courage to confront each other about it. What to do, what to do...?

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76, Kegger98, Sesshomarusama3, and Guest for the reviews. :) I'm glad that you guys liked the last chapter! :D Your reviews mean a lot to me! ^-^

Until next time!


	53. Keeping a Secret

** 53. Keeping a Secret**

The mischievous ear-to-ear grin that was ruling Sonic was doing two things at the moment.

First and foremost, it made Sonic look absolutely ridiculous.

Second and more importantly, it had driven Sally to the brink of insanity.

"Sonic the Hedgehog, you tell me what's going on right now."

The heroic hedgehog merely released a hardy, "Ha!" into the air, making Sally's ears drop in both disappointment and annoyance. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?" He asked her, patting her on the head as the two continued down the dirt pathway. "You and I both know that that's not going to happen, though."

Sally growled and folded her arms, narrowing her eyes as she spoke. "I would if you'd just tell me what's going on."

"Sorry Sal," Sonic said, throwing his hands in the air for a moment to stretch and yawn before continuing. "That's not going to happen."

"Come on! It's my birthday for crying out loud! Can't you at least let me have my way for once?"

Sonic raised an eyebrow, "Sal, you get your way a lot. In fact, you get your way about ninety percent of the time."

Her angry gaze intensifying in strength, Sally gritted her teeth. "I don't care. I want to know why you're so giggly today."

"And I already told you," Sonic declared in a surgery sweet voice, patting her on the head again and making her attention return to the hedgehog. "I'm keeping a secret."

"And I'll be keeping the ingredients for a chili dog a secret if you don't tell me right now."

His only response was to put an arm around her and pull her closer, and she freed a melodramatic sigh from her throat as a retort. "Patience Sal, patience."

So far, Sally's birthday had not gone as planned. The couple had spent the first half of the day running across the country, spending lunch at a burger joint of all things, and walking as slowly as possible back to their humble home in Knothole. Though the day hadn't been terrible, Sally had discovered that her plans of the best birthday ever couldn't stand the chaos that was Sonic the Hedgehog. No, her strategy had never even stood a chance.

She sighed once at the thought, her eyes turned downwards at the end of the dirt path that led to their front door. Well, the day could have been worse. At least they were finally home. Maybe now they could just sit down and watch a movie, and hey, maybe Sonic would even surprise her with a birthday present. Hopefully he'd let her pick out the movie. Though to be perfectly honest, she wouldn't have minded if Sonic chose one. She actually enjoyed the action movies that he always decided upon…

Upon reaching their house, Sonic opened the door for her, standing off to the side as he made an over dramatic motion towards the interior of the house with his hands. "Ladies first, my dear."

She smiled at the act of chivalry (however silly it was) and walked into the home. It was quiet and oddly dark, and for a moment, Sally found herself utterly and completely confused. Since when was their house so dark? Had Sonic drawn the blinds before they had left? Or—

Before Sally could get another thought in, the house lit up and from every direction, she heard a chorus of, "SURPSIRE!" as an entire army popped out from behind their furniture.

Oh, no way. How had she fallen for it?

Every way she turned, she saw a friend adorned in a silly party hat and some sort of a noise maker. Bunnie, Antoine, Tails, Amy, Cream and Cheese, Knuckles, Rotor, Rouge, Elias and his wife, Megan—even Shadow was wearing a party hat! Of course, he seemed impartial about the whole situation, but that didn't stop her from giggling when she saw him blow on his blowout.

Despite that, though, she didn't know what to say when silence fell. She had never even had the chance to have a surprise birthday party as a kid, and to have one as an adult? It was both hilarious and exciting.

"So Sal," The moment Sonic's voice rang out above the silence, Sally turned to him, a smile on her face. "Do you like your surprise?"

She responded with a kiss, and Shadow blew on the blowout again.

* * *

Sometimes, the simplest of gifts are the very best. :)

Thanks to brave kid, Sesshomarusama3, Guest, Thomas Holmes II, and ShadowEmpress76 for all the great reviews! :D Because of you guys, this is my first story to get over 200 reviews! Thank you so much! XD

Until next time!


	54. Tower

** 54. Tower**

He was dead quiet, and that was the weirdest part about the whole thing. The hedgehog hadn't exploded with rage, hadn't gifted anyone with a snarky comment, he hadn't even glared at his so called "friends." Sonic was simply silent when he put his arms around her, his own body covered in bruises and gashes and bandages and a cast on his left leg and gosh he looked awful, especially with those shadows under his eyes.

She didn't know what to say to him when their eyes had met across the way, when their gazes found each other for the first time in months. Yes, she had tried to speak, and yes, she had opened her mouth and tried, but the hedgehog had beaten her to the punch before she could even think of anything. Within the beat of a heart and a single breath, the man had wrapped his arms around the woman he loved, and he refused to let go.

And now they were simply standing there, glued to the spot in the hospital ward where the doctor's had been treating his wounds for the past five hours, where the words of his so called "friends" had been reminding him that they had simply made a mistake and they had known all along that he was still good inside, where all eyes were currently watching the two, where for the first time in far too long, Sonic wasn't simply heart-broken and angry.

He still looked sad, granted (and given the fact that everyone had turned on him so easily, it was to be expected), but for once, he was at peace. Even with the eyes of all his betrayers feasting on the image of the two reunited, he felt safe.

"Sonic, I—"

"Shut up, Sal." But he wasn't going to let anything cut through it. For the moment he wanted silence, and it was as simple as that. "Just shut up."

She complied without another word, for she felt no drive to argue. He was hurt, and at the moment, she was all he needed.

They stood there for a long, long time. Eventually, the hedgehog pulled her head gently downwards towards his chest so it was resting just light enough for her to hear his heartbeat. For some reason, it made her realize how much taller he was that her, made her realize that he towered over her, made her remember that he wasn't a child, even if sometimes, he needed the love and attention given to one.

She swallowed at the thought, gripping him tighter as she buried her face in his chest.

* * *

Takes place in the same universe as #49.

I didn't mean to take so long to update this. I struggled figuring where to go with this one, and I ended up going in the opposite direction I had originally planned. I like this version, though. :)

Thanks to Thomas Holmes II, ShadowEmpress76, and Sesshomarusama3 for the reviews! I'm glad you guys liked the last one! XD

Until next time!


	55. Waiting

** 55. Waiting**

"I'm waaaaaaiiiiting, Sal." The hedgehog groaned, tapping his foot as he folded his arms and scowled off into the direction that Sally was in. "We don't have all day! If you don't hurry up, we're going to be late!"

Sally growled in response, "Shut up! I'm going as fast as I can!"

"Well," Sonic sighed, rolling his eyes, "it's obviously not fast enough! You need to go pick up the pace! The faster we move, the faster we can be without all this… stuff!"

The girl huffed in reply, and Sonic merely narrowed his eyes. There were few things that really irked Sonic the Hedgehog, like going slow and when Eggman decided to crash a party. One of them was being dressed all fancy for things that really didn't need it. Though he didn't mind wearing something fancy for events that actually demanded it, there were some things that didn't need it in his opinion, like going to an assembly for little kids at an elementary school.

Honestly, they were little kids for crying out loud! They recognized Sonic the Hedgehog as the Hero of Mobius, not a dignitary that waltzed around in fancy clothes! Even Sally, the princess of the Kingdom of Acorn was known for dressing in her casual vest and boots! And though, yes, they didn't exactly have to dress black-tie, they had still been asked—well, demanded really—to come in something nice.

So for Sonic, that meant wearing a white, button-up shirt with sleeves that ended just before they reached his elbows, a tie (because hey, ties weren't all that bad), a pair of black dress pants, and two shoes that most certainly were NOT meant for running. And for Sal, it meant a semi-formal small dress with short sleeves, sandals, and—

"Alright, how do I look?"

Make up. Which, when Sonic was totally honest, didn't look too bad on her. It accented her features and made her eyes pop, and… wow, the dress totally flattered her figure, too. Slimmed her out, made her—

Sonic quickly shook his head, freeing him from the trance as Sally stared at him. "Gr-great. You look fantastic, Sal!"

The girl smiled, nodding. "Thanks. It's really not my thing, but I'd say I didn't do half bad."

He nodded in reply, smiling as he turned towards the door. "Not half bad at all! Now let's go!" And with that, the two ran out the door.

While he was wearing something so fancy, Sonic didn't have the luxury of being able to run nearly as fast. Though he wasn't exactly attached to them, the pair of dress pants he had on was one of the few pairs that he owned, and ruining them wasn't really something he could afford. Running at Sally's speed was their only option at the moment, and though it was slow for him, the two were running at a pace that at least guaranteed their on-time arrival.

The two ran in silence for most of the trip, but after reaching the half-way point, Sally suddenly snickered and turned to Sonic. "You know," she said, smiling as he looked at her. "You look pretty good in that. I like it, Sonic."

Sonic raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Thanks, Sal. You do too, if I do say so myself."

Sally merely giggled, and Sonic shot her one of his signature grins. Then with one simultaneous nod, the two turned forward again and sped up.

Okay, so maybe clothes weren't _that_ bad after all…

* * *

Sonic's impatient and all that stuff, but sometimes he has to realize that waiting is worth it. :)

Thanks to ShadowEmpress76, bearvalley3365, and Sesshomarusama3 for the reviews! :D Until next time! ^-^


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